Pork Chops with Sautéed Onions & Mushrooms & Red Wine Gravy

serves 2

2 bone-in pork chops
Flour
Butter or oil
Red wine (I used Shiraz)
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Sliced onion

Melt butter/heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Brown chops, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and add a little more butter, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan.

Add a spoonful of flour and let cook for a minute, stirring into butter until no lumps remain. Slowly add red wine, stirring furiously to incorporate roux, until there is about an inch of liquid in the skillet. Add a pinch each of salt and sugar. Bring up to a boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, then drop down to a simmer. Place chops back into skillet and cover. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes- the longer the better.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until tender, about five minutes.

Top finished chops with mushrooms and onions. Serve with mashed potatoes and pour gravy over both.

note: placing chops into gravy will turn the bottom purple. If this skeeves you out, finish cooking in the pan (until no longer pink inside) before you make the gravy, then tent with foil and place in a warm oven. Pour gravy over the chops when finished. If you can handle purple-bottomed chops, the meat will be more tender.