Cider-Dijon Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider 
• 2  apples cored cut lengthwise into eighths
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
• 1 large fennel bulb trimmed cut lengthwise into eighths
• 2 sprigs rosemary leaves fresh cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 4  pork loin boneless (each 7 ounces and )
• 1 pound cubes red-skinned sweet potato peeled (yams)
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted cut into 2 pieces

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• wooden spoon

Directions

1. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperaturewhile the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Place a large rimmedbaking sheet in the oven and heat until very hot.
3. To cook the vegetables and apples: In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes,apples, fennel, and rosemary with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt andpepper. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the vegetables and apples on it. Roast, turning the ingredients over halfway through, for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are nicely browned and tender.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pork: Season the pork with salt and pepper.
5. Heat a largeheavy skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the olive oil, then add the chops tothe skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown andbarely pink when pierced in the center with the tip of a small sharp knife.
7. Transfer to a platter (reserving the oil in the skillet) and let stand for 5 minutes.
8. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the oil from the skillet, leaving the brown bits in the pan. Return the pan to medium-low heat, add the apple cider, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
9. Whisk in the mustard and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.
10. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter to lightly thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Divide the sweet potato mixture among four dinner plates.
12. Place a pork chopalongside the vegetables on each plate.
13. Drizzle with the pan sauce and serve.
14. Reprinted with permission from What's for Dinner? by Curtis Stone, © 2013 Ballantine Books
15. Curtis Stone is the author of five cookbooks and host of Top Chef Masters on Bravo. He is also the creator of Kitchen Solutions, a sleek line of cookware sold in retailers worldwide, and writes a monthly column for Men's Fitness. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Stone honed his skills in London at Café Royal, under legendary three-star Michelin chef Marco Pierre White, and at Mirabelle and the revered Quo Vadis. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.