Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Walnut-Bacon Butter and Apple and Butternut Squash Tian

Ingredients

• 1 large rome apple cored peeled cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices ( 6 1/2 ounces)
• 0.5 cup apple cider 
• 5 cups apple cider 
• 1 slice applewood-smoked bacon crumbled cooked finely
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 8 ounces butternut squash peeled cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 0.3 cup less-sodium chicken broth fat-free
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 1 Dash ground nutmeg 
• 1 ounce gruyère cheese shredded
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno minced seeded
• 0.3 cup kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 0.5 teaspoon orange rind grated
• 48 ounce center-cut pork chops bone-in trimmed
• 0.5 teaspoon salt divided
• 3 cups swiss chard coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted softened
• 2 tablespoons walnuts toasted finely chopped
• 2 cups water 
• 1 ounce bread white
• 1 pound yukon gold potatoes peeled cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• oven
• baking pan
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil
• broiler

Directions

1. To prepare pork, combine 5 cups apple cider, 2 cups water, and 1/3 cup kosher salt in a large bowl; stir until salt dissolves.
2. Add pork chops to cider mixture; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 42
4. To prepare the tian, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add chard, jalapeo, and garlic to pan; saut 3 minutes or until chard wilts, stirring occasionally.
6. Layer half of squash, apple, potatoes, and chard mixture in a shallow 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray.
7. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Repeat the layers with remaining squash, apple, potato, chard mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
8. Combine 1/2 cup cider and broth; pour mixture into baking dish. Cover dish with foil.
9. Bake at 425 for 50 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
10. Preheat broiler.
11. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.
12. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese; sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Broil 2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are browned.
13. Remove from broiler, and keep warm.
14. To prepare butter, combine walnuts and next 5 ingredients (through bacon) in a bowl, stirring well.
15. Remove pork from brine mixture; discard brine mixture. Pat pork dry with paper towels.
16. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
17. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
18. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 155 or until desired degree of doneness.
19. Place about 1 cup tian on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 1 pork chop. Divide butter mixture evenly among pork chops.