PORK WITH APPLES AND PANCETTA

An easy, but very tasty entrée found in a mid-60’s cookbook for brides. Suggested as a dinner party dish—a few fancy ingredients, a few defined cooking steps, and almost guaranteed to turn out well.  The ‘60’s recipe called for four ½ lb pork chops. This works with pork chops, cutlets or cut up pork.  Adjust quantities for desired servings. Cook this in a sauté pan with lid and it can sit for a bit before serving.  For a new cook, this entrée, served with buttered noodles and a green salad, would make a nice manageable dinner for a new cook’s dinner guests.

• 2-3 oz pancetta, chopped
• 1-2 cooking apples, like Granny Smith—peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 1-2 lbs pork cutlets, chops or stir-fry strips
• Finely diced onion–1-2 tblsp
• A little thyme, fresh or dried
• Salt and pepper
• Cornstarch
• ½ cup cream
• ¼ cup apple cider (or cider vinegar with a bit of honey)
• ¼ cup apple brandy or dark rum

Heat a little olive oil, add pancetta and cook until crisp—about 3 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Melt 1 tblsp butter in same pan, add apples and sugar—cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove to a bowl and keep warm.  Heat a little olive oil in same pan.  Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge very lightly in cornstarch.  Add to pan and cook, turning once– brown well and remove to plate and keep warm.   Add onions and cook until soft. Add cream, brandy or rum, cider and thyme and simmer for about a minute.  Add pork and apples and simmer gently until pork is cooked through—about 10 min.  Check for seasoning.  Top with reserved pancetta. 

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