Bourbon Apple Pork Chops

This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light Cookbook 1989. The cookbook was a Christmas gift from my Dad and has proved rather intriguing to page through, especially since not all the recipes have photographs attached. (Aren't you used to seeing what the finished product will look like, before you cook it?) I was curious to see how the recipes of the past would stack up. Turns out, the Bourbon Apple Pork Chops are pretty darn tasty. The recipe is ideal for preparing with any cut of pork, bone in or boneless. The Granny Smith apple topping originally called for the apple to be cut into rings, but I preferred to dice it instead. The result was a play on warm homemade applesauce; the leftovers even worked on their own as a side dish the next night. I'll admit, it is not the prettiest looking dish to grace the pages of III, but give it a shot. They knew a thing or two about cooking back in '89.
I paired the chops with corn and Near East rice pilaf. It would also pair well with a side salad or a green vegetable. Ingredients:
-3 bone in center cut pork chops
-2 garlic cloves
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
-1/4 cup bourbon
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-2 tablespoons water
-1 teaspoon corn starch
-1 medium granny smith apple, dicedTrim the fat from the pork chops. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Coat a large nonstick pan with cooking spray or olive oil and set over medium high heat. Add the pork chops and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes.Add apple juice, bourbon and Worcestershire sauce, then bring mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes or until pork chops are tender.In another pan over low-medium heat combine water and cornstarch, stirring until smooth. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add the diced apple to pan and cook until thoroughly heated.Remove from heat and spoon over pork chops.I was skeptical about the whole water-apple-cornstarch-combination. (Is this an 80's thing, or a common cooking technique I am not privy to?) I didn't have cornstarch just lying around in my cabinet, that is for sure. But once the process was complete it all made sense. The cornstarch adds depth and consistency to the apples. It serves to meld them together and create a chunky sauce like topping, which complimented pork quite nicely. Simmered in spicy bourbon, tangy Worcestershire and tart apple juice, the pork came out tender and juicy soaking in all the delicious flavors of the sauce. The sweet corn kernels and savory rice pilaf accompanying the meal were easy-to-prepare sides."Living Well Is The Best Reward" ~ Cooking Light 1989