Braised Lentils with Seared Pork Chops

A comforting, hearty main dish featuring earthy brown lentils braised with aromatics and finished with a bright splash of red wine vinegar and fresh herbs, served alongside pan-seared pork chops.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 45 min · Yield: 4 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 4 pieces bone-in pork chops
• 1.5 cups brown lentils
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 unit yellow onion
• 2 units carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Cooking instructions

1. Dice the onion and carrots into small, uniform pieces. Mince the garlic. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt and half the black pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops until well-browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chops from the pan and set aside on a plate. (about 8 min)
3. Add the remaining oil, diced onion, and carrots to the same pan. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. (about 6 min)
4. Rinse the lentils and add them to the pan along with the chicken stock, thyme sprigs, and remaining salt. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices to the pan, nestling them into the lentils.
5. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until lentils are tender and pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, approximately 25 minutes. (about 25 min)
6. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the red wine vinegar and garnish with fresh parsley if desired before serving.