Grilled Vermont Pork Chop & Apple Cider Glaze

Renowned for luxurious lodging and sustainable dining, Four Columns has gracefully anchored Newfane’s village green for more than 50 years. Frederic Kieffer shares an epic recipe for Grilled Vermont Pork Chop & Apple Cider Glaze. 

Photography By | June 22, 2017

About this recipe

Artisan Restaurant and Tavern at Four Columns, Newfane

Renowned for luxurious lodging and sustainable dining, Four Columns has gracefully anchored Newfane’s village green for more than 50 years. Charles Mallory rejuvenated this quintessential landmark in 2015, maintaining its Vermont integrity while incorporating contemporary aesthetics. Long a proponent of farm-to-table, executive chef Frederic Kieffer mentors a culinary staff dedicated to sourcing the highest-quality ingredients from Vermont and New England. Four Column’s garden bursts with produce, heritage beef comes from Newhall Farm, and the inn’s laying hens supply eggs for the bountiful country breakfasts. Managers Shelby Brimmer and Asher Schlusselberg ensure guests enjoy amenities that include a spa and wellness center, yoga retreats, outdoor massages, hiking trails and an outdoor pool. Four Columns has also become an arts destination with a rotating gallery of curated work from local artists. Come celebrate Vermont’s artisans of studio and field! ArtisanNewfane.com 

Instructions

Serves 4

4 (14-ounce) bone-in pork chops (from local farm or Black River Meats—they source Vermont meat)

Salt and pepper

For the cider glaze:

2 cups local apple cider

3 cups hard cider, preferably Citizen Cider

1 cup organic apple cider vinegar

2 ounces light-brown sugar

1 pinch salt

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy sauce- pan over medium heat and slowly reduce them until they become syrupy. Put aside and keep at room temperature.

For the whipped rutabaga:

2 ounces butter

1 shallot, sliced

1 pound rutabaga, peeled and diced

8 ounces carrot, peeled and diced

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups water, plus more if needed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Over low heat, melt butter and add sliced shallot. Cook for 1 minute. Add the diced rutabaga and carrot to the pan, cook slowly for 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream, wa- ter and salt. Simmer gently until vegetables are very tender. Add more water if needed.

Remove from heat and puree the rutabaga with a robot coupe or stick blender. Check the seasoning, put to the side. Keep warm, or rewarm for plating the dish.

For the garnish:

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tart local apples, peeled and cut in wedges

4 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, diced

8 pitted prunes, cut in 4 pieces

Melt butter in a skillet, salt and pepper the apple wedges, sauté apple quickly. Set aside. Sauté the bacon with a little oil until light golden, add the diced prunes, cook for another minute then add the sautéed apples. Set aside and keep warm.

For the pork chops:

Pat pork chops dry, season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill pork chop to medium.

To plate the dish:

Place the whipped rutabaga in the center of the plate. Arrange the bacon-prune-apple mix around the rutabaga. Place grilled pork chop on top. Drizzle the apple cider glaze over the pork chop and vegetables.