How to make
Rub the pork chops with black pepper and thyme and leave them on the kitchen board, at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over high heat in a thick-bottomed pan. Bake the pork chops, until they aquire a golden color for about 2-3 minutes on each side. At the end, you can reduce the heat and bake for a little longer, if the steaks are thicker. This way you will be sure, that they will not remain raw on the inside. If they are thin, they do not need to be cooked long.
Remove the meat and reduce the heat to low/medium heat.
Deglaze them with brandy and add the butter. When it has melted, add the onion (cut into thin crescents), the lemon peel and a pinch of salt.
Stir occasionally until the onions have softened and if necessary, add more fat.
Add the sugar, stir and after a minute add the apples - unpeeled and cut into thin pieces - but not too thin, so that they do not fall apart. In fact, it depends on what variety you use - if you think that their peel is too thick, you can peel them.
Pour about 1 and 1/2 cup of water and leave the apples to soften, but they should not become mushy, so that the dish still looks beautiful. In order for it to be successful, it is very important that the pan itself is larger/wider and that the onions and apples are not in a thick layer.
Serve the pork chops with apples and onions warm and decorate the side of each plate with a reduction of sweet wine for extra sweetness.
Enjoy your meal!
