This is kind of old school. You don’t see people eating pork chops much anymore. They got pushed over in the corner next to the ham steaks. If you get a fat chop, brine it (½ cup sugar, ½ cup salt dissolved in a gallon of water) overnight in the refrigerator. It cooks up incredibly juicy. This one got a ride in the cast iron skillet. Just don’t over cook it. Trichinosis has been bred out of pork, so if the center is still a little pink, you’re fine.
The sauce is traditional white gravy with Gruyère cheese. Start with a couple tablespoons each of butter and flour in a hot pan. Combine them into a paste, start adding milk and stir like crazy. It will go clumpy at first, but just keep stirring and adding milk a little at a time. When the consistency is right add the shredded cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
I prepped the acorn squash like mashed potatoes: boiled then beat up with butter, salt and pepper. I was going to add Thyme, but they tasted so good on their own, I didn’t want to wreck the magic. Ready to get your mind blown!? Squash is a fruit. I know! I’m tripping out on that too. Shouldn’t this have come up in first grade at some point? I think my teacher was asleep at the switch.
Jeebus! That looks outstanding.