Pork is a delicious meat and one that we should all be eating right now if we want to support our increasingly scarce pig farmers.

Many people think that pork is high in fat and, therefore, not part of a healthy diet, but, in fact, the meat is very lean. Eschew braised pork belly dishes for sparser cuts and you have nothing to fear.

Rearing the animals that give us pork, beef and lamb gobbles huge amounts of energy compared with grain or rearing poultry, so they are not the most environmentally friendly things to eat. And with food prices going through the roof, eating masses of meat is becoming a luxury.

However, as with all things, moderation is the best policy. Why not go for the real McCoy? Find a friendly butcher or shop online direct from a farm. You can save money by buying cheaper cuts but, more importantly, you can really appreciate the flavour of meat from different breeds of animals that have been well looked after.

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Pork chops are not cheap - although far better value than their equivalent cuts in lamb or beef - but they are lovely for a quick supper.

Don't simply pan-fry them until every bit of pink blush is cooked away as this can leave them tough. The trick to getting a lovely browned exterior and tender inside is to use the pan-tooven method, something I learnt at Skye Gyngell's kitchen at Petersham Nurseries in south- west London.

If you cook a chop in a pan only, the outside is blackened by the time the inside is cooked. On the other hand, if you cook it in the oven you miss out on all those delicious pan juices you get from a quick searing on direct heat.

Cooking in the pan first and then finishing in the oven is the way to get the best of both worlds. It's also a simple and delicious way to cook fish fillets, steaks and other cuts of meat.

All you need is an ovenproof dish or a baking sheet that you can transfer your chops on to after you have sealed the meat in a frying pan.

Wilt some young spinach leaves in a little butter and nutmeg and supper will be ready in less than half an hour.

Pork chops with thyme

Feeds 4

4 organic British pork chops

1 lemon

A few sprigs of thyme

A little olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp small capers, rinsed

A small bunch of chervil, chopped

Double cream, to taste

Put the chops in a shallow dish. Add a couple of strips of lemon zest and a squeeze of juice (keep the lemon, you will need more juice later), plus the thyme and a good slosh of olive oil.

Turn the chops over a few times in the flavourings, cover and leave to marinate for a couple of hours.

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F. Place an ovenproof dish, big enough to hold the chops, in the oven to warm up. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over a fairly high heat.

Add the chops to the pan and brown for a minute on each side, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Remove with tongs and arrange in the preheated dish. Add the sprigs of thyme from the marinade, tucking them underneath the chops so that they don't burn. Return the frying pan to the heat, add a wine glass full of water and the juice of half the lemon and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits of caramelised meat. Let the liquid bubble until reduced by half, then tip over the chops. Season well.

Put in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 mins, or until the meat is cooked through and the thinner, fattier ends are lovely and crisp. Remove the chops and keep warm. Taste the pan juices and if you'd like to intensify the flavour, simmer them down a little. When the flavour is to your liking, add the capers, the chervil and a little double cream. Bring to simmering point again, then pour over the chops and serve. Squeeze over extra lemon juice to taste.

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