Spice-Crusted Pork Chops With Port Reduction Sauce

Recipe Ingredients

2 teaspoons	10ml	Juniper berries
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Ground cloves
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1 tablespoon	15ml	Calvados or cognac
2 teaspoons	10ml	Dijon mustard
2		Boneless thick-cut pork chops - - (12 to 15 oz ea)
1/4 cup	59ml	Port
2 tablespoons	30ml	Balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons	22ml	Butter - cut small pieces

Recipe Instructions

In a dry skillet, toast the juniper berries until they are shiny, taking care not to burn them. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and let cool. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and salt and grind to a fine powder. Pour ground spices into a small bowl. Stir in the cognac and mustard to make a paste.

Coat the pork chops with the paste and refrigerate four hours to overnight.

Place pork chops in a nonstick skillet and bake at 375 degrees until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees, about 25 minutes. Remove pork chops from skillet and pour drippings into a smaller skillet. Add port and balsamic vinegar to skillet and cook on medium heat until sauce is reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Add butter and salt and pepper to taste. Slice the pork chops and fan out on warmed plates. Spoon sauce over the pork and serve.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 04-06-2003

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