Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Apples and Couscous

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 (1/2 inch thick) boneless pork chops, about 1 1/3 lbs

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 sweet apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (I used Ambrosia)

1 cup uncooked couscous

¾ cup apple cider

½ cup water

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the pork chops on both sides with one 1/4 teaspoons of salt and the pepper. Brown the pork on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and apples to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they're tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add couscous to an 8 x 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish or metal baking pan.

Pour the cider and ½ cup of water into a small saucepan. Whisk in the mustard until it's dissolved. Add the cinnamon, thyme, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and bring the mixture to a boil - watch it carefully so it doesn't boil over!

Immediately pour the boiling hot cider mixture over the couscous. Arrange the browned pork chops on top and add the cooked onions and apples over the pork. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid and the pork is cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F., 15 to 18 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork a bit before serving.