Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
•  1 tbsp butter
•  1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, boneless or bone-in (whatever you prefer), about 1 ½ inch thick
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup chopped shallots or green onions
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¾ cup chicken stock*
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
*For gluten-free, use homemade chicken-stock or gluten-free packaged stock

DIRECTIONS:
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over them. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the butter. As soon as the butter has melted, add the pork chops to the pan and sear them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green onions or shallots and cook them on med-high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of the wine and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook until chops  are cooked through (145°F internal temp), about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pork chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining half cup of wine. Increase the heat to high to boil the pan juices. Reduce the juices by half, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and boil 3 minutes more,until sauce reduces and thickens, and scraping the pan with a wooden spoon leaves a trail. Remove from the heat and whisking the mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste.  Place chops on a bed of sauce and serve. Serves 4.  Recipe courtesy of Simply Recipes.

Chateau de Jonquieres
Cuvee Eole Grand Reserve
Grenache Syrah
Corbieres, France

Located just outside Narbonne (ancient capital of a Gallo-Roman province), Château de Jonquières stands in the middle of the Mediterranean scrubland. The vineyard is classified as appellation Corbières, a land of gorges and wild hills, a landscape of contrasts with rocks sculpted by the wind. Château de Jonquières is the property of Val d’Orbieu. Olivier Dauga, winemaker, accompanies winegrowers and oenologists to create these exceptional cuvées to embody the values of character, dynamism, roots and generosity in these wines, a pure product of the viticulture of the Languedoc. We invite you to discover these black diamonds, the first in a long line of exceptional vintages from Val d’Orbieu. Pairs well with pork roasted herbs, steak au poivre, or rabbit with mustard.
“With a beautiful deep ruby color, this wine offers a fine, delicate nose with aromas of red berries and a hint of oak. Clean and elegant on the palate, it reveals classic fruit flavors and soft notes of spices and oak”, winemaker Olivia Dauga.

Winemaker: Olivier Dauga
Appellation: Corbieres, France
Varietal Blend:  59% Grenache, 41% Syrah
Analysis: 14.5% alcohol / volume, 3.6 pH, 6.2 g/l TA
Critical Acclaim: 87 pts. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 2014. Reviewed and approved by Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine.