Preheat the oven at 140 degrees Celsius (275 Fahrenheit, Gas Mark 1). Season the pork chops with salt flakes and black pepper and reserve. Prepare the oven-proof dish by spraying the bottom with olive oil (if you don’t have a spray, use a brush to spread the oil thinly). Place a few knobs of butter in the area you will lay the apples and chops.
Slice the Granny Smith apple thinly and lay the slices on top of the butter, slightly overlapping. Thinly slice the garlic and the shallots and chop the dates into quarters (or halves if you prefer).
Seal the pork chops in a frying pan with a little olive oil, just enough to brown all sides.
Place the chops on top of the apple slices. Then pile the garlic slices, shallots and dates on top of the chops and finally the thyme sprigs.
In a jug, mix the cider vinegar with the paprika, the cumin seeds and the cider and then pour over the chops. Cover with aluminium foil, sealing well.
Place in the oven and let it cook for 4 hours. Remove the foil after this time and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.