Pork with Maple Glaze

By Paul Briand

As the season turns from summer to autumn, so does some of our cooking emphasis.

Stews are on the horizon. Comfort food to warm the chill.

This recipe uses a fall staple -- maple syrup -- as the base for a glaze that enlivens a pork dish.

This recipe is adapted from one developed by the Boisvert Farm and North Hadley Sugar Shack in Hadley, Mass. I found it in the "Food Lovers' Guide to Massachusetts."

The original recipe calls for two 12-14 ounce pork tenderloins, which I can usually find at the market but weren't available when I shopped. So I substituted with a pound of boneless pork chops.

For a couple of reasons, I also doubled the recipe for the glaze itself. I love glaze and sauces, so I knew I'd overdo it when it came to using it over the pork, but I also wanted some extra for the sweet potato side dish I made.

Ingredients

1 pound of boneless pork chops

2 teaspoons dried sage leaves (or sage spice in the can)

Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

12 tablespoons pure maple syrup

12 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Rub (or sprinkle) the pork with sage and sprinkle with pepper;

2. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown the pork, turning so that both sides are brown. When pork is no longer pink remove to platter;

3. Whisk the maple syrup, cider vinegar and mustard together in a bowl;

4. Add the mixture a little at a time to deglaze the skillet;

5. Bring mixture to a boil and add the pork, cooking for another two minutes;

6. Remove the pork and serve, spooning glaze over the pork.