Herb-Brined Pork Chops With Pickles And Mustard Cream

• Herb-brined Pork Chops
• 4 Pork loin or rib chops, bone-in or boneless and not too thin
• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk, with leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 stems of parsley, same of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon lavender flowers, optional
• 2 cups water with ice cubes
• Pickle and Mustard Cream
• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil with a high smoke point (grapeseed, peanut, ricebran, avocado)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup dry marsala, dry vermouth, white wine or dry sherry, for deglazing the pan
• 6 cornichons or 1/4 cup other crunchy vinegar pickles, chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
• 1/3 cup veal or chicken stock
• 2 heaping tablespoons of whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• generous grinding of black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs: Italian parsley, tarragon, thyme
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest and a few drops of lemon juice

1. Make the brine, combining all brine ingredients in a saucepan, except the pork chops and the ice water. Simmer on a low flame for 20 minutes and allow to steep off the heat for another 20-30 minutes. When cool, strain out the solids and add the ice water. Refrigerate until completely cold.
2. Trim excess fat from the pork chops and put them into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag. Pour the brine into the bag and seal it, squeezing out as much air as possible. Put the filled bag into a bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours minimum, or overnight.
3. When ready to cook, remove chops from brine and pat dry. Discard the used brine.rnAllow the chops to sit at room temperature for a half hour. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan, ideally one that will hold all of the chops. On fairly high heat, brown chops on both sides, then lower the flame and cook until chops feel firm and are close to completely cooked.
4. Remove chops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour off all of the fat from the pan. Add butter, and before it burns, the shallots and garlic, stirring to saute. When the shallots are translucent, add the wine and turn the heat up high, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add the stock, the cornichons and capers and when it comes to a boil, stir in the mustards and then the creme fraiche. Simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Add the black pepper. Stir in the 3/4 of the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice. Save about 1/4 of the herbs to sprinkle on after plating. Put the chops back into the pan, adding any juices that are on the plate. Taste the sauce and add salt, if needed--unlikely because of the brine and the many salty ingredients. Spoon the sauce over the chops, and allow the chops to cook for a few moments before plating. Be as generous as possible with the sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta.

chops, loin, water, kosher salt, sugar, shallot, carrot, celery stalk, bay leaves, parsley, lavender flowers, water, cream, vegetable oil, unsalted butter, shallots, clove garlic, marsala, cornichons, capers, veal, grain mustard, mustard, creme fraiche, generous grinding of black pepper, fresh herbs, lemon zest

Taken from food52.com/recipes/27080-herb-brined-pork-chops-with-pickles-and-mustard-cream (may not work)