Curried Pork Chops with Roasted Apples & Leeks Recipe

Curried Pork Chops with Roasted Apples & Leeks

• Cook
  40 m
• Ready In
  40 m

Recipe By: EatingWell Test Kitchen

“In this healthy oven-baked pork chop recipe, roasted apples and leeks lend a sweet-and-tart note. If you always chop the dark green tops off your leeks, don't discard them this time—they have a delicious flavor and become meltingly tender when roasted.”

Ingredients

• • 3 large, crisp red apples, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 large or 2 medium leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced, including white and green parts (see Tip)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
• • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 4 bone-in pork chops, ½ to ¾ inch thick (about 2 pounds), trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

• 1 Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
• 2 Combine apples, leeks, 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread onto one prepared baking sheet. (Reserve the bowl.) Roast on the lower rack, stirring once or twice, until the apples are tender and the leeks are wilted, 20 to 25 minutes.
• 3 Meanwhile, combine curry powder, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on both sides of pork chops and let stand until the apple mixture is almost done.
• 4 Leaving the apple mixture in the oven, turn the broiler on high. Place the pork chops on the second baking sheet and broil on the upper rack until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into a chop without touching bone registers 145°F, 4 to 6 minutes.
• 5 Combine vinegar and brown sugar in the large bowl. Add the apple mixture and toss to combine. Serve with the pork chops.

• Clean leeks well to be sure they're grit-free: After slicing, place in a bowl filled with water and swish around to release any sand or soil trapped between the layers. Scoop the leeks out of the bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving any sand or soil behind in the bowl. Drain well. Repeat as needed.
• Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.