Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Cherry Pan Sauce and Tomato Couscous Salad

This recipe proves that cherries aren’t just for desserts. We’re using both dried cherries and cherry jam to create a luscious pan sauce that perfectly complements savory pork chops. The sauce is sweet, tangy and just a little bit sticky-ideal for drizzling over the meat and the accompanying couscous salad.

The tomato couscous salad is bright and refreshing, with lemon zest, juicy grape tomatoes and scallions. It’s the perfect side to soak up all that cherry goodness. Ready in just 35 minutes, this dish is sure to become a weeknight favorite.

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Ingredients

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Grape TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CherriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Pork ChopsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Cherry JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Halve, peel and mince the shallot. Zest and halve the lemon. Halve the grape tomatoes. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Finely chop the parsley.
2. Place the dried cherries in a small bowl and pour in just enough boiling water to cover them (reserve 1 cup of boiling water for the couscous). Set aside to steep.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the couscous, scallion whites, half of the minced shallot and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in 1 cup of boiling water, cover the bowl and set aside.
4. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Add the chops to the pan and cook to your desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the pan and let them rest for 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and add the remaining shallot. Cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock concentrate, cherry jam and half of the dried cherries along with all of their steeping water. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and let bubble until the sauce is reduced by half (it should be thick enough to coat a spoon). Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the grape tomatoes, scallion greens, lemon zest, remaining dried cherries and the juice from half of the lemon. Toss to combine. Season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired. Divide the couscous between plates, top with the pork chops, drizzle with the pan sauce and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use boneless pork chops?

Yes, boneless pork chops work well. Adjust cooking time as needed-they may cook faster than bone-in chops.

What can I substitute for cherry jam?

Any berry jam, such as raspberry or strawberry, will work. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, use gluten-free couscous or substitute with quinoa. Ensure the chicken stock concentrate is gluten-free.