The Speares

Preheat the oven to 325. Get the big cast iron frying pan out, make sure the silicon pot holder is on and find the metal lid for it. Get it heating at a pretty low heat, definitely below the smoke point, but watch the thing anyway because once a cast iron skillet starts smoking you've suddenly got smoke. Get some small bowls handy for the veg:

• 1 diced onion
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 chopped carrot
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 4 oz sliced mushroom

Now for the meat. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels

• 3 pork chops

then lightly coat with with

• a little oil

and sprinkle with

• salt (not too much!)
• pepper
• dried thyme

and sear aggresively for a few minutes on each side until nicely brown. Turn down heat. Remove browned pork chops to a plate. Once the pan has cooled down a touch throw in carrot and onion and stir about, scraping up brown bits, for about a minute. Then throw in the mushrooms and stir it about until the mushrooms lose their crisp. Next is celery and garlic. Another minutes should do it. Then add

• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBSP dijon mustard
• 1 TBSP worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried

Stir it about until everything's mixed and somewhat bubbly or at least nice and warm. Layer in the pork chops, draining as much goodness from the plate into the pan as seems feasible. Then wash the rest of the goodness into the pan with

• 1 cup beef stock (chicken in a pinch)

Cover with the lid and into the oven for

1 hour at 325

Then get the topping ready. Put

• 1 peeled, cored and sliced mcintosh apple

into its own bowl, sprinkle with a little acid (try sushi vinegar) and cover with wrap.

Better get on the potatoes.

Check the pork. Its probably about ready. If so cover with a layer of sliced apples and back in the oven for a bit.

Everything should be done. If the pork goes a bit over, not to worry but watch the apples.

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