A deliciously tender way to eat pork. The meat and lentils go well together in this inexpensive dish – lentils are a fantastic source of dietary fibre and pork is quite naturally low in fat.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 pork chops, dusted in 1 tbsp plain seasoned flour
- A sprig fresh rosemary
- A couple of sprigs fresh thyme
- 400ml cider or chicken stock
- 150g Puy lentils
- Some chopped fresh parsley
- A dollop soured cream
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat and fry the onion and 2 garlic for 5 minutes. Add to a flameproof casserole.
- 2. Heat another 1 tbsp olive oil in the frying pan and brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes each side. Add the chops to the casserole along with a sprig fresh rosemary and a couple of sprigs fresh thyme and season well.
- 3. Pour over cider or chicken stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
- 4. Add the Puy lentils to the casserole and return to the oven, uncovered, to cook for a further 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season and serve with some chopped fresh parsley and a dollop soured cream.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 431kcals, 15.3g fat (4.8g saturated), 42.4g protein, 25.8g carbs, 4.9g sugar, 0.4g salt
Chef's tip
Here’s a quick idea: cube the pork chop meat and fry with the onion and garlic, then add a splash of chicken stock and ½ tub half-fat crème fraîche and serve with cooked lentils.