Recipe(tried): Pork chop dinner - Pepper-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Bacon and Cabbage Salad

I've wanted to try this recipe for ages, and I had the pork chops in the freezer from a really good sale. It doesn't take long so it's great for a weeknight and it's perfect for the chilly weather. I served it with the old standby - orange, red onion, black olive and greens salad as the first course.

Pepper-Rubbed Pork Chops with Warm Bacon & Cabbage Salad
Serves 6

BACON AND CABBAGE SALAD
8 slices bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup dry sherry
1 small head cabbage, julienned
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or use wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I used pecans)
Salt
Black pepper

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
Salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 (8-ounce) pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil

To prepare the salad, place the bacon in a medium saute pan and cook over medium heat until crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and saute in the bacon grease over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar, olive oil, thyme, and walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to use.

To prepare the pork chops, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the meat with the black pepper and season with the salt. Put the flour on a plate and dredge the chops in the flour. Pat the chops gently to remove any excess flour.

Heat the olive oil in a very large, ovenproof saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add the pork chops and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Place in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees (use and instant-read meat thermometer to test). Remove from the oven.

To serve, place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon some of the cabbage salad alongside the chops and serve immediately.