Pork Chops in Orange Pineapple Sauce

Every time I eat pork chops I think of the episode of the Brady Bunch when they made Pork Chops and Apple Soss (you have to say it with a Humphrey Bogart accent and a lisp when you say chopz and soss!) Honestly, it's scary the things that are seared in your brain forever in comparison to the things you always forget!

You will need:

• 5-6 small pork loin chops
• 1 leek
• 1/2 onion- chopped
• 10 mushrooms- sliced
• 2 stalks celery- chopped
• 1 tbsp each coconut oil/ olive oil
• salt/pepper
• Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup canned/or fresh pineapple- chopped (include any juice)
• 6-7 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• coconut oil (this is a healthy oil and goes well with these flavours)
• olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees F

Step 1: melt 1 tsp coconut oil and 1 tbsp olive oil. Fry pork chops on medium heat until you get a nice sear on both sides. If you are using a regular fry pan (not a non-stick) you will know when it is ready to turn the chops when they finally release from the pan. If they stick it means they are not ready to turn yet. Season chops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2: once the chops are seared on both sides remove from pan to a plate. They are not cooked at this stage.

Step 3: in the same pan add sliced leek, onion, mushrooms, celery and fry for a few minutes. I had a bit of red onion left over so I tossed that in as well. 

Step 4: add wine to deglaze the pan, make sure to scrape up all the cooked meat that is left on the bottom of the pan . Cook the wine for a few minutes.

Step 5: add pineapple, fresh thyme, chili garlic sauce, orange juice and return chops. Add sliced carrots and quartered potatoes making sure to coat in the pan juices.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until falling apart tender.

Step 6: remove chops to plate and strain all fruit and vegetables from pan. Reduce sauce on stove stop until slightly thickened.

Step 7: quickly saute slices of zucchini in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Step 8: if you would like a bit of crunch to your potatoes you can quickly saute in pan to brown.

Serve with the pan juices which are sweet and slightly spicy from the chili garlic sauce and you have a tender fall apart pork chop with carrots, potatoes and zucchini.