Day 361: "Italian" Pork Chops

I'm not a huge fan of pork chops, and I don't like onions.  But these onion-smothered pork chops are good!  (Okay, I didn't eat all the onions.)  But I've learned that I can actually eat caramelized onions and like the flavor they give whatever they're eaten with.  We don't have pork often, but I would never completely take it off my repertoire.  It's cheap.  Randy really likes pork (and loves onions) and I want my kids to have broad palettes.  That means introducing them to a wide variety of food, even if I don't particularly like what we're having.  I also get just as much, if not more pleasure out of cooking food as I do eating it, so it really doesn't bother me to make something I'm not anxious to eat.  I still enjoy the cooking process!
This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis.  She says that it's her "Italian" take on the American classic of pork chops with applesauce.  I guess the sweet, caramelized onions represent the applesauce. 

Italian Pork Chops
Warning: You must start this recipe 2 hours before you want to eat.  The "marmellatta" needs to cook for 2 hours and the pork chops need to sit in the fridge seasoned a good couple hours before you cook them.

Marmellata
4 onions, thinly sliced
1 TB rosemary, chopped
1 TB thyme, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange marmalade (I actually used apricot preserves because it's what I had on hand)
salt, pepper
1 TB sugar
2 TB balsamic vinegar

Pork Chops 
4 thick pork chops (I used bone-in, but you can easily use boneless)
1 TB chopped rosemary
1 TB chopped thyme
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt, pepper
olive oil

In a large pan on medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, onions, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add the marmalade, sugar, and balsamic vinegar and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to scrape the bottom of the pan.
Combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and rub the mixture on each pork chop, both sides.  Cover the pork chops with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 90 minutes or so.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.  Place the pork chops in the pan and turn after about 5 minutes.  Be sure to only flip them once so they don't get too tough.  If you need to finish them in the oven, that's fine.  Top with the onion marmellatta and serve.

Seasoned Roasted Potatoes
This is kind of my idea of a winter potato salad.  I used some of the same flavors in a summer provencal potato salad, but roasted the potatoes and served them hot.

1 bag small, boiling potatoes
1 shallot, chopped
olive oil
salt, pepper
dried parsley
dried oregano
white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400*.  Cut the potatoes in halves or quarters.  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried parsley, and dried oregano.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.  Place in a bowl with the chopped shallot and drizzle with a little more olive oil and some white wine vinegar to taste.

Spiced Blackberry Sour
Our grown-up time special treat.  Serves 2.

Muddle 4-5 blackberries in a cocktail shaker.  Juice 3-4 limes into the shaker.  Add equal parts vodka and spiced rum (about 2 oz each).  Then add some simple syrup (about 1 oz).  Add ice and shake.  Strain into chilled glasses.