Pork it’s what’s for dinner on a busy Monday night. In a snap, you can make boring pork chops sing with sharp mustard, sweet apples and rich cream. I made mine over simple smashed red potatoes laced with tons of comforting whole milk and butter. However, to soak up the juices, and to act as a fantastically quicktime potato substitute, Nigella suggests serving it up alongside gnocchi.  You could always add a little lemony fennel, sliced thinly, or a green salad if you’re in the mood.

Bistro Mustard Pork Chops

2 pork chops, about 1-pound total weight
2 teaspoons garlic infused oil
1/2 cup hard cider or apple cider
1 tablespoon grain mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream

Cut the fat or rind off the chops, and then bash them briefly but brutally with a rolling pin between 2 pieces of cling film/plastic wrap to make them thinner.

Heat the oil in a pan, and then cook the chops over a moderately-high heat for about 5 minutes a side. Remove them to a warmed plate.

Pour the cider into the pan, still over the heat, to deglaze the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute or so then add the mustard and stir in the cream.

Let the sauce continue cooking for a few minutes before pouring over each plated pork chop. If you’re having gnocchi with, make sure you turn them in the pan to absorb any spare juices before adding them to your plates. Does it get any easier?

Recipe and image via Nigella Lawson