Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce and Charred Scallions

A savory sauce made with fresh cherries and merlot tops tender boneless pork chops in this dish that comes together in one skillet. Even the scallions soften and char in the same pan, with their mild onion flavor being tempered by the same heat that gives the pork a golden crust.

When abundant bunches of cherries are available at the market, scoop them up for this recipe. If you’ve read about my five favorite specialty kitchen tools, you know that I recommend having a cherry pitter on hand for the season. Certainly, you can slice the cherries in half and remove the pits, but a pitter makes the task so much easier (and a bit more fun!).

Ingredients

6 boneless 4-ounce pork chops (about ½ to ¾ inch thick)
7 scallions
¾ pound fresh cherries (such as Bing)
¾ cup merlot wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Begin by seasoning both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper and allowing them to sit at room temperature for a bit so that they cook more evenly. In the meantime, clean the scallions, trimming about ¼ inch from the root end and an inch or so from the green end. Chop one scallion and set aside for the cherry sauce.

Drizzle the remaining scallions with a little olive oil on a plate or baking sheet and massage until lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Pit and halve the cherries and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, cook the pork chops in two batches. Thin pork chops generally need no more than 2 to 3 minutes per side before being flipped. The thinner, the less amount of time. This keeps them tender and prevents them from becoming dry. If you’re unsure whether the chops are done, keep in mind that the safe internal temperature of pork is 145 degrees. Remove the pork chops to a plate as they finish and cover to keep warm. Add a bit more oil if necessary between batches.

Reduce the heat to medium, then char the scallions in batches in the same skillet. It should take no more than five minutes for the scallions to soften and char, and they should be flipped occasionally as they cook. Remove the scallions to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add chopped scallions to the skillet, stirring. As soon as they soften and darken a bit, add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Reduce the wine by ¼. Stir in the mustard and cherries and cook until the sauce has thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Top the golden pork chops with cherry sauce, and serve the charred scallions on the side, whole or snipped into pieces.