Guava Glazed Pork Chops With Caramelized Onions and Cranberries

4 pieces of apple smoked bacon (regular will work fine too)

4 boneless pork chops

Dried thyme

Salt and pepper

Flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, sliced thin

1/2 cup sparkling or dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

21/2 cups guava concentrate (see note)

2/3 cup dried cranberries

2 cups of cracked bulgur wheat

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large cast-iron pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon from pot, crumble and save for later.

Season pork chops with thyme, salt and pepper. Dredge with flour and brown in bacon grease. Remove from pot once all sides are well browned.

Add butter and oil to the pan and saute the red onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Deglaze pot with wine, scraping bits left on bottom of pot. When all bits are removed, add stock and guava concentrate. When mixture starts boiling, add bulgur and stir well.

Add cranberries and browned pork chops into the pot. Cover and bake 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

Serves four.

Secondhand Gourmet Note: Leftover pork works wonders in sandwiches; get creative with ciabbata bread, some pepper jack cheese and fried onions. Or, use leftover pork in a salad with some diced green apples and gorgonzola cheese.

Michelle Miller, Secondhand Gourmet