Rhubarb-Cherry Pork Chops (with mint sugar snap peas and sauteed potatoes)

These pork chops are killer. I have a thing for rhubarb and this sauce makes the pork super yummy. The mint peas are a nice complement. I have to thank Martha Stewart again for her recipe. Never thought I would like to cook so many of her recipes...but I can't stop raving about her new cookbook: Great Food Fast. If you are looking for a new cookbook I definitely recommend this one.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cherries
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 c hot water
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups of rhubarb, cut into tiny pieces
3 T cane sugar
pinch nutmeg
freshly grated sea salt and black pepper
3 - 6 oz pork chops
1 T butter
1 lb sugar snap peas, rinsed with the ends snipped off
1/2 c mint, chopped

For the Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce... 

1. Soak the cherries in hot water and vinegar for at least 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the onion in a splash of olive oil in a medium- sized rice pot. When the onions are translucent, add the cherry mixture, rhubarb, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Add a dash of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cover and remove from heat.

 
For the Pork chops...

1. Rinse the pork chops off and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. In a large grill-frying pan, heat a splash of olive oil on medium-high. Add the pork chops, browning on both sides. Then return heat to medium and continue to cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center.
(Note: Since my pork chops were from Fresh Direct, they were super thick. I wound up placing a cover on them after they were brown so I could accelerate the cooking process.)
3. Serve with Sauce.


For the Sugar Snap Peas...
1. In a frying pan, boil the butter and 1 cup of water.
2. Add the peas, cover, and cook for 2 minutes or until the peas turn bright green.
3. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium until the water is gone (this just takes a few minutes).
4. Remove from heat and stir in the mint, with a dash of sea salt and pepper.


I made potatoes to go with this as well....but I am not going to post how I did it because I already blogged about how to make potatoes as a side.