Plum Glazed Pork Chop with Mashed Sweet Potato

Now I know a lot of my recipes are simple, but this one is close to the easiest and so delicious! If you're looking for a meal to cook for a date, this is one that will be sure to impress them and a bonus, its super quick so you'll have less time in the kitchen and more time to cuddle! :)

Serving 2

What you'll Need
12 oz. of Boneless Pork Chops
 
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes

For the Glaze

3 Tbsp Plum Preserve (Plum seems to be seasonal, if you can't find it raspberry is a good alternative)

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tsp FRESH Grated Ginger (powder ginger just does not do this recipe justice). If you don't have a microplane grated/zester, invest in 1, I use mine so much for parm cheese, lemon/lime zest, grated chocolate... the list goes on.

1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic 

1/8th Tsp of Curry

Dash of Cinnamon

When I first started cooking, I always hated seeing "a dash" of this or a smidgen of that, what the heck is a dash or a smidgen?! Its really just a little sprinkle or 1 light shake. I don't know how else to describe it, but funny enough someone actually makes measuring spoons for this! I should really get myself some.

Sweet Potatoes 

First things first, you'll want to pop your sweet potato in the microwave. This is going to take the longest.

Wash your sweet potatoes. Puncture a few times with a fork, being careful not to stab your hand. Wrap each potato in a wet paper towel, this helps prevent any overcooking. Cook on high for 4-5 minutes for the first potato, plus 2-3 minutes for each additional potato. Turn over potatoes halfway through cooking. If you cut your potatoes in 1/2 and they are not quite done yet, don't worry, just mix the center around a little and pop it back in for another minute or so, no need to re-wrap. When your potatoes are soft in the middle, scrape the sweet potato away from the skin and into a bowl. Mash up with a fork. No need for any seasoning, the plum glaze is amazing when combined with the sweet potatoes.

For the plum glaze add all of the glaze ingredients to a sauce pan, stir together and simmer until the plum preserve is melted and everything is mixed. No need to reduce or simmer longer then it takes to melt everything together. You might need to re-heat once the potatoes and pork chops are done.

Cooking the Pork Chops

You can buy the thin sliced pork chops or buy a thicker one and butterfly it. I recommend cooking thin pork chops opposed to the thick ones for 1 reason only, they cook fast and for weeknight meals, I want to be in and out of the kitchen.

Heat a Grill Pan or a cast iron skillet to medium high heat. This is a 7 on my stove, or about an inch past medium.

Once your pan is nice and hot the thin slices are about a minute on each side. That fast!

For plating, add 1/2 of your mashed sweet potatoes to each plate, place your cooked pork chops on top of the sweet potato and pour the glaze over top.

Pictured here with just a steamed sweet potato on the side. Not nearly as glamorous, but it will do. :)