Pork Loin Chops with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

I'm mainly just putting this here so I don't have to reinvent the wheel every time I make it.

4 thick-cut pork loin chops

salt and pepper

2 T. butter, divided

generous handful of mixed dried gourmet mushrooms

1 1/4 C. hot water

1 C. sliced button mushrooms (white or crimini)

1 C. sliced fresh shitake mushrooms

1/3 C. marsala wine

1 t. dried herbes de provence

1/2 t. salt

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. milk

In a small bowl, soak dried mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes, or until softened and hydrated. Strain soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, squeezing most of the liquid out of the mushrooms. You should have about 1 cup of liquid. Set aside for later.

Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, melt 1 T. butter over medium-high heat. Brown pork until golden on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Melt remaining butter in pan; saute all mushrooms until moisture has evaporated and they're starting to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Return pan to medium-high and deglaze with marsala, scraping up any bits and reducing to about half. Stir in herbes de provence, salt, and HALF the mushroom soaking liquid. Return pork and mushrooms to pan, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Whisk cornstarch and milk into remaining soaking liquid. Remove pork from pan. Bring mushroom mixture to a boil, and add the soaking liquid mixture. Boil until thickened, stirring constantly. Spoon sauce over chops to serve.

This is delicious with polenta, but I also often serve it with fancied-up mashed potatoes. Rice would be good, too!