Ingredients

• 4 thick-cut pork chops
• 2 cloves garlic
• peeled
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp flatleaf parsley
• chopped
• 1/2 tsp roughly chopped orange zest
• 5 large leeks
• trimmed
• 40g/1½ oz butter
• 1 orange
• juice and finely grated zest
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 40g/1½ plain flour
• 300ml/10½fl oz milk
• squeeze lemon juice

Directions

• For the pork chops
• preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Preheat the grill to hot (or preheat a griddle pan to hot if the grill is located in the oven).
• Score the pork chops lightly on both sides with the tip of a sharp knife
• then make small cuts across the fat on the sides to prevent them from curling when cooked.
• Cut one of the garlic cloves in half and rub the cut side over both sides of each chop (discard the used garlic clove).
• Brush both sides of each chop with olive oil
• then season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the pork chops lightly under the preheated grill or brown them swiftly on the preheated griddle pan.
• Make a bed of the thyme sprigs
• rosemary sprigs and bay leaves in an ovenproof dish just large enough to hold the pork chops in a single layer. Scatter over the fennel seeds.
• Lay the pork chops on this aromatic bed
• then cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (the juices will run clear when the meat is pierced in the thickest part with a skewer).
• Meanwhile
• to make the orange gremolata
• chop the remaining garlic clove very finely and mix with the parsley and orange zest.
• For the creamed leeks
• cut the leeks into 4-5cm/1½-2in) lengths
• then shred into fine rings with a sharp knife.
• Melt the butter in a wide pan and add the leeks. Stir to mix
• then add the orange juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cover and cook gently over a low heat for ten minutes or so
• stirring occasionally
• until the leeks are tender. Uncover
• increase the heat and boil off most of the watery juices until all that remains are a few tablespoonfuls of buttery liquid.
• Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir to mix evenly. Gradually add the milk
• stirring continuously
• and then add the orange zest. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is very thick and creamy. If absolutely necessary
• add a little more milk.
• Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper
• if needed. Stir in the lemon juice. (NB: If not using immediately spear a small knob of butter on the tip of a knife and rub over the surface to prevent skin forming.)
• Reheat gently
• stirring frequently to prevent the sauce from catching and burning
• before serving.
• Just before serving
• pour away any excess fat off from the chops. To serve
• spoon the leeks into the centre of the plate
• top with a pork chop and sprinke over the gremolata.