rivka

I usually cook pork chops with broth and quartered red potatoes and roasted red peppers, but today I didn't have any of those ingredients. Nor did I have the usual things I would use to make a pan sauce for sauteed pork chops. Clearly, this called for a trip to the Experimental Food Corner.

After browning the chops and then cooking them in a covered pan over low heat, I removed them to a plate, leaving the drippings. I turned up the heat, deglazed the pan with fresh cranberry-apple cider, and added plenty of dijon mustard as well as some basil, oregano, and black pepper. I whisked it all smooth and let it boil for a minute or two, and then - with some trepidation - served it.

It was really good: sweet and tangy, with a notable cranberry undertone. It worked well with the pork chops, and I think it would also make a good poultry sauce. If only we got cranberry-apple cider in the stores year-round.