Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda

  Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda is the very next way you should prepare your pork chops!

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda

I think I just need to tell you just right up front here that my husband claims these Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda as the best dinner I’ve made him in months.  I cook often- as you know, so this was quite the huge compliment. And I must say that I am most definitely in agreement on the awesome dinner assessment. This recipe may sound fancy and all using the term “Mostarda,” but it’s extremely easy to make at home. “Mostarda” is technically candied fruit cooked in a mustard-infused syrup (in this case- pears sautéed in honey and balsamic vinegar and mixed with mustard greens). It’s a delicious fall treat!

🛒Ingredients needed:

• fennel seeds and black peppercorns
• kosher salt
• light brown sugar
• bone-in center cut pork chops
• olive oil
• onion
• pears
• honey
• mustard powder
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• mustard greens

✏️How to make Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda:

*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.

➡️Recipe Tips:

• I used Royal Riviera Pears here, but If you don’t have those, use Bosc or Anjou pears. Those varieties will be most likely to hold their shape while cooking and won’t break down into mush.
• Try grilling the chops in warmer weather.
• I like to use the bone-in pork chops found at more quality markets like Whole Foods. They just seem to keep the meat more moist.

✔️What to serve with Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda:

• This recipe already has a lot going for it, so you don’t need much. I think some Perfect Mashed Potatoes would be wonderful with the Pear Moshtarda.
• A loaf of crusty french bread served with some really good butter would be great with these pork chops, too.
• I recommend serving this fruit-filled dish with a more acidic white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.

❤️Why I love this recipe:

• There aren’t many recipes for two, and I love that this one makes a perfect meal for just my hubby and me!
• I wan’t very familiar with mustard greens when first making this recipe, but now I love them. They add an extra layer of pizzaz to this meal.
• Despite seeing a lot of steps in the directions, this recipe is actually really easy to put together and that’s always a win.

Pear-themed recipes you might like to try:

• Fresh Pear Pie
• Pear and Fennel Soup
• Pear Bread
• Spiced Pear Cake with Browned Butter Icing
• Pear and Ginger Muffins
• Maple Ginger Pear Crisp
• Maple Cheesecake with Roasted Pears

5 from 2 votes

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pear Mostarda

By RecipeGirl.com (shared with permission from Harry & David)

This is an OMG restaurant-quality dinner recipe!

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

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Ingredients

PORK CHOPS:

• ▢ ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• ▢ 2 (about 20-ounces) bone-in center cut pork chops
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

PEAR MOSTARDA:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ medium sweet onion, diced
• ▢ 2 medium Bosc or Anjou pears, diced into ½-inch cubes
• ▢ ¼ cup honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup torn mustard greens, for serving

Instructions 

• Grind together the fennel, peppercorns, salt and sugar. Use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. In a pinch you can place the spices into a freezer zip and crush them with a mallet. Rub the spice mixture all over pork chops and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

PREPARE THE PORK CHOPS:

• Preheat the oven to 375℉. Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat on the stove. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chops to the skillet and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning down heat to medium if necessary. Flip again and transfer to the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked to desired doneness (145℉ is considered safe for serving, but the temperature will continue to rise 5 or so degrees as the chops rest so keep this in mind). It might take longer, depending on the thickness of your chops, so keep baking in the oven until they come to temperature. Let the chops rest while you prepare the mostarda.

PREPARE THE MOSTARDA:

• In a large skillet (I used nonstick) on medium heat, add the olive oil and then the onion. Cook the onions until they begin to soften (4 to 5 minutes), then add the pears along with the honey, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the pan becomes too dehydrated. Set aside to cool a bit.

SERVE:

• Toss the mostarda with the mustard greens. Set a pork chop on each plate and top with the mostarda. Serve immediately.

Notes

• *Try grilling the chops in warmer weather.
• *I like to use bone-in pork chops found at more quality markets like Whole Foods.
• *Mustard greens are easiest to find at specialty markets (like Whole Foods). The recipe can be made without them, but I recommend picking some up if you can- they're good!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 483kcal, Carbohydrates: 76g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 3510mg, Potassium: 452mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 61g, Vitamin A: 891IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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