Made pork chops tonight and was looking to be a little more creative, the result was astonishingly good:
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp tellicherry peppercorns
1/2 tsp corriander
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
tsp of kosher salt
1/2 medium red onion, sliced into thin ribbons
1/2 lemon
2 - 1" thick pork chops (about 8oz each)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chix stock
good olive oil
set oven to 350df.
crush the fennel seed, corriander and pepper together with a mortar/pestel or grinder. sprinkle the mixture along with the salt on both sides of each pork chop, lightly pressing into the meat.
in a good heavy saute skillet, put a turn of the pans worth of oil, over med heat slightly caramelize the red onion, but not all the way. push the onions to the side, turn up the heat to med-high - and brown each side of the chop, about 2-2.5 min per side.
once browned, move the onions to lay on top of the chops and then place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes.
remove the pan from the oven and move the chops to a separate plate, cover with foil. put the pan with juices on a burner with medium heat, put in the balsamic, stock and juice from half a lemon in the pan, reduce until thick - nearing caramelization point (essentially where the sauce bubbles uniformly across the pan).
plate the chops and pour the balsamic reduction over top.
I wish I'd took a picture, but I was too damn hungry at the time to grab the camera! served with penne and fresh pesto and brocolli.