Pork Chop and Blue Cheese Tray Bake

LEVEL: EASY
COST: ££
MEAT DISH
APPROX TIME: 15 minutes + 30-35 for roasting

Pork is one of my favourite meats. It's so versatile and
appears to be light on the digestion as well as being
really well priced. It's one of the cheaper organic / free-
range meat options out there and makes a great base for
loads of different flavours. 

This is one of the most deceptive dishes that I've found. When presented at the table it looks like you've been slaving over a hot stove for hours, and the rich blend of flavours enhances that illusion. In truth, this is a really great midweek meal because you literally sling everything into one roasting pan, stick it in the oven and walk away from it for 35 minutes. This week I used that time to fold and put away the washing, ensuring that for one rare time in my life I actually felt like I was nailing adult life.

This recipe is neither particularly healthy (although it's  not unhealthy either) and it's clearly not vegetarian, but it is cheap - especially being as the pork chops were on half price offer from Waitress this week. Having mum over on a Monday for dinner and the eldest staying up, the cost of this dinner came in at £8 for the four of us, so at £2 a head, that's pretty good going.


INGREDIENTS (FOR 4)

4 Pork chops with the bone in
Two handfuls of new potatoes,
3 or 4 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic
1 apple
A palm size of blue cheese

Bag of green mixed salad or serve with broccoli.

METHOD:

• Slice the new potatoes into slices about 1.5 cm thick, spread out on the bottom of a roasting pan that has already been brushed with olive oil. 
• Cut the apple into slices, removing the core and spread out over the potatoes
• Season with salt and pepper and lay the thyme sprigs on top. 
• Lay the pork chops on top of the bed of veggies and place in a pre-heated oven at about 180 for approx 30 minutes or longer (until the pork chops have gone a nice golden brown colour and the potatoes look cooked.)
• Sprinkle the chops with blue cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the blue cheese has melted over the chop. 
• Serve on one big serving platter with a bowl of hot or cold green accompaniment and voila. Dinner is served.