SERVES 4
Pomegranates are one of the most recognizable symbols of Armenia; they represent fertility, abundance and marriage. Pomegranate season was a special time for us growing up. My younger brother and I always looked forward to sitting at the dining table and enjoying the seeds that our mom had carefully removed.
Now I enjoy leveraging their unique and tantalizing flavor to elevate simple meals like these panfried pork chops.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE:
½ cup/120 ml unsweetened pomegranate juice
½ cup/120 ml Chicken Broth
½ cup/120 g shallots, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp/5 g fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp/20 g raw honey
3 sprigs thyme
Dash of sea salt
1 tsp/2 g arrowroot starch
1 tsp/3 g coriander
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
4 pork chops, center cut
sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp/30 ml coconut oil
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the pomegranate-ginger sauce, except the arrowroot starch. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from the heat and set aside. Once the sauce is cool, strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
In a small bowl, mix coriander, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub the seasonings mix on both sides of the pork chops. Generously salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the coconut oil. Place the chops in the pan and make sure that they are not crowding each other too much. Cook chops on each side for about 4 minutes or until well browned and cooked through. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside to rest.
As your chops are resting, add the strained pomegranate-ginger sauce to the same pan and bring to a simmer. Stir for a couple of minutes and scrape up any browned bits. Place your arrowroot starch in a small bowl and add enough filtered water to make a thin paste. Add this paste to the sauce and whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon the warm sauce over the pork chops and serve.
