Pork Chops with Bramley Apple and Rosemary Confit

The confit comes first: wash the apple, then quarter, core and slice it into ¼ inch (5 mm) slices, leaving the skin on (we think leaving the skin on adds flavour).

Now place them in a medium-sized saucepan, and simply add half the sliced onion, half the cider and all of the vinegar and sugar. The rosemary leaves should be crushed on a flat surface with the back of a spoon to release their oil, then chop the leaves finely before adding them to the saucepan.

Then on to the heat, and as soon as the cider begins to bubble, give everything a good stir and turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer. Leave it to cook slowly without a lid for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the liquid has reduced down to nothing but a faint stickiness.

The pork chops need to be placed in a small roasting pan sitting on top of the other half of the onion. Season with salt and freshly milled pepper, then bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. After that place the roasting pan (with the chops still in it) over direct heat, pour in the rest of the cider and let it bubble and reduce by about half. Serve the chops with the warm confit piled on top.