Apple Stuffed Pork Chop
I love pork and the other day, I got a huge hankering for it. This came about after talking to my mom,” Try cooking them in apple juice,” she said on the phone. So, my brain started planning the menu and after receiving beautiful apples, red onions, and a nice head of arugula from my CSA (community supported agriculture), the meal was set.
First, I went to Whole Foods and got three thick cut pork chops. These babies were about 1 1/2 inches thick and looked oh so good. At $7.99, it wasn’t too expensive, though three pieces cost me about $17. Once I got them home, I let them sit in a half cup of Red Jacket Orchards apple juice, for about an hour. Next, I stuffed them with a mixture of apple, fresh sage, pine nuts, dried cranberries, a little salt and pepper, a dash of tarragon, and a touch of olive oil. After the saucepan was heated, I poured the apple juice from the pan and put the chops in. Cooking them on medium heat, I rubbed brown sugar on one side of the pork chop and then let them simmer till each side was browned.
While I cooked the meat, I decided to caramelize the other half of the apple and a small red onion. Using about 6 Tbs of butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar made enough sauce to cook the apple and onion, and left enough to drizzle on the finished pork chop. Taking the head of arugula, I evenly divided it on the plates, thinly sliced some radish and summer squash and put it around the dish, and set the meat right on top. I didn’t think the greens needed any sauce, since the sweet butter and juices from the meat coated it.
Voila! A delicious, though not healthy, local, and seasonal meal.
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