This recipe is adapted for a Whole30 plan. It’s excellent, fancy enough to serve company.
Ingredients
-
2 Boneless, Center-Cut Pork Chops
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Fennel Bulb
- 1 lb Sweet Potatoes
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 Pear
- 2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions
Prepare & roast the vegetables:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash each clove once to flatten. Cut off and discard any stems from the fennel. Halve the fennel lengthwise; cut out and and discard the core, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Medium dice the sweet potatoes. Place the smashed garlic, sliced fennel, and diced sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 25 to 27 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.
While the vegetables roast, peel and small dice the onion. Core and small dice the pear.
Cook the pork:
While the vegetables continue to roast, pat the pork dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let rest for at least 5 minutes.
Make the compote:
While the pork rests, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the diced onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the diced pear, vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the pear is slightly softened and most of the liquid has cooked off. Turn off the heat and stir in a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
