Pork Chops with Ginger Plum Sauce

Back again, after a long break with no new interesting recipes cooked. I have a new ingredient to play with, inspired by one of my new cookbooks Harumi's Japanese Cooking. It's pickled ginger. As in the pickled ginger that comes with your sushi. The Japanese name is Gari.

I first used it just as a garnish for a beef and rice dish from Harumi's cookbook. But then it was hanging around in my fridge and I thought I should figure out something else to use it for. I bought some pork chops at the fridge and the gears started to turn...

Pork Chops with Ginger Plum Sauce

This recipe comes from having in the house a jar of Plum Butter, as well as the pickled ginger. I don't at all remember where it came from (I'm guessing a gift - and I thank you whoever gave it to me! Sorry I don't remember who!). Plum butter is really like plum jelly, there isn't any real butter in there.

2 bone-in pork chops (about an inch think or thicker - not the skinny ones)
3 tablespoons pickled ginger
1 table spoon sliced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons plum butter
1/4 cup diced onion
1 cup chicken broth
3 cloves
2 green cardamom pods
1 star star anise
salt and pepper
oil of choice (I used peanut oil)

Start a heavy pan going with medium high heat. Generously salt and pepper the pork chops. Add some oil to the pan and then the pork chops. Let them cook until nicely browned (maybe 6 minutes). Then flip and brown lightly on the other side (the goal is to brown the sides, but not cook it through). Then remove and set aside.

Next add the onion, fresh ginger, pickled ginger, cloves, star anise, and cardamom. Cook a few minutes to release all the flavors. Next add your Chicken stock and stir in the Plum Butter until it dissolves. Lower heat to simmer.

Return the pork chops to the pan and nestle into the liquid. Cover the pan and simmer until the pork chops are cooked through. Then remove the pork chops again and turn up the heat so the sauce reduces down.

I served it over white rice.