Pork Chops with Caramelised Leeks

Cool weather comfort food.  Can't go past a pork chop with buttery mash and a creamy sauce!

Finely slice leeks (white part and some of the green part) and add to a pan with melted butter (say, 3 tablespoons of butter to 5-6 thin leeks).  Cook over low to medium heat, stirring semi-regularly, until soft and sweet.  They should melt in the mouth.  Might be anywhere between 20 minutes - 1.5 hours.  You can do it in the morning and reheat them easily later!

Pan-fry pork loin chops until cooked to medium (63 degrees) and nicely browned.  Set aside to rest under foil.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, scraping well, then add a good glug of cream, some seeded mustard and some maple syrup (it's hard to give quantities - for 3 pork chops, I use about 150ml cream, 2 heaped teaspoons of seeded mustard and a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup).  Stir over heat until thickened.

Serve the pork chops with plenty of leeks, covered in sauce, and with silky mashed potatoes, made gloriously golden by the addition of plenty of butter (and salt, and some warmed cream).  I also steamed some snowpeas, though I more often do carrots or broccoli.  There you go, meat and three veg - I don't do that very often!

Zach, AKA Mr Happiness, continues to be a ray of sunshine in our lives.  I don't know what else to say about him!  He's crawling (very slowly and erratically, like a little drunk baby, but he can get a few feet), very sore of gums (bottom two teeth completely through, top ones coming and causing pain on their way) and apart from that, just an easygoing, smily kinda guy:

Have I mentioned I am a tamagoyaki addict?  My favourites are from Suzuran in Camberwell.  They also do a fantastic Inari, with pretty salmon topping.  Don't worry, the below is not my lunch, I am not a sparrow-like eater.  This was what I ordered in addition to a 12-piece nigiri-sushi set!

One of our chooks, Sweetpea, is laying like a champion.  One egg every day, even though the weather is getting cold.  But the others?  Not so much.  Any tips for getting them laying?  I'm trying hot porridge for them each morning!