4 servings

Brine and pork:

- 2 cups apple cider

- 1 ¾ cups water

- ¼ cup kosher salt

- ¼ cup packed brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

- 1 teaspoon dried sage

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 4 pork-loin chops, about ¾-inch thick

Sauce:

- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries or cherries

- ¼ cup brandy

- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

- 1/3 cup apple cider

- ½ teaspoon arrowroot

- ¼ cup fat-free or regular half-and-half

- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1. To prepare brine: Combine apple cider and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add salt, brown sugar, pepper, sage and cinnamon, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Cool brine; refrigerate until cold.

2. Put chops into a 2 ½-to-3-quart glass dish. Pour cold brine over chops, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

3. Begin to prepare sauce. Soak dried berries in brandy for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving fruit and brandy separately.

4. To cook chops: Remove chops from brine; discard brine. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, add pork chops and cook until cooked through. Remove chops from the pan and keep warm. Pour fat out of pan.

5. Put pan back on medium-high heat. Deglaze with reserved brandy, cooking until reduced by about half. Add broth, cider and cranberries. Cook until reduced by half. Turn heat to medium-low. Put arrowroot into a measuring cup and whisk in half-and-half and mustard. Stir several spoonfuls of hot broth mixture, one at a time, into half-and-half mixture to warm it. Pour into pan, stirring until lightly thickened.

6. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.

Adapted from a recipe from Bon Appétit magazine