Apple Almond and Sage Stuffed Pork Chops

Apple Almond and Sage Stuffed Pork Chops

Spring has been a reluctant visitor here in Newfoundland this year. Even here in the far North East it has been colder than usual and now the seasonal rain, drizzle and fog seems to have settled in to keep company with the frigid temperatures...sigh. These butterflied pork chops were originally destined for the back yard grill but the cold and rain forced me to make other plans.

Embracing the make lemonade from lemons philosophy, I set out to make a comfort food meal to make myself feel a bit better about our hesitant spring which I hope we now bypass in favor of a straight jump into summer.

Unwilling to set out for a supermarket run in the rain, I took stock of what was on hand to work with. Some leftover toasted almonds that were sprinkled on a recent salad, some leftover fresh sage that I'd used in a recent roast chicken and a big bag of apples provided the inspiration for the stuffing in these chops. The combination of sweet apples, crunchy nuts and fragrant, earthy sage was fantastic and all complimented the pork beautifully.

To keep the pork from drying out, I used the pan rushing method where the chops are seared in a hot pan and then roasted in a hot oven to finish off the cooking. It worked perfectly and to complete the meal, we served the chops with some steamed, buttered asparagus and just to remind me that there was still still hope for a BBQ season, these Barbeque Spiced Roasted Potato Nuggets rounded out a perfect family dinner.

Apple Almond and Sage Stuffed Pork Chops

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

An old fashioned baked cornbread stuffing, with the added deliciousness of thyme, pecans and apples.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 1 hour including baking time for the cornbread.
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: About 8-10 servings
Ingredients

• 4 large butterfly cut pork loin chops 
• 2 cups crusty bread cubes
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 egg
• 2 small diced apples
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 1 stalk celery, diced small (optional)
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• pinch salt

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic, onions and celery. Cook just until the onions have softened but not browned.
3. Toss the cooked onion mixture with the bread cubes, apples, sage, salt, pepper and melted butter.
4. Whisk together the eggs and chicken or vegetable stock well and pour evenly over the stuffing mixture.
5. Add the toasted almonds and toss well to combine.
6. Season the inside and outside of the butterflied chops with salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing between the 4 chops and press tightly into the butterfly cut.
7. Add a little oil to a large, oven safe cast iron or heavy bottom frying pan and heat over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, sear the chops for a couple of minutes on each side to brown them.
8. Place the frying pan directly into the hot oven for about 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees at the center of the meat and stuffing. 
9. Let the chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Baked beans is another family favorite in our household and we have several go-to recipes depending on what else is on the menu. Search baked beans on this website and you'll see several recipes from spicy Maple Chipotle to Baked Beans with Apple Sausage.

Today's recipe is the one we use most often though and is pretty close to how I first made them over 30 years ago. The only real difference is that I like to use smoked paprika for added smokey flavor to the beans these days but you can easily substitute regular paprika if you can't find smoked.

Be careful to use fancy molasses or light molasses in this recipe, other types like blackstrap or cooking molasses can be too strongly flavored.

This batch is also quite big and would serve a dozen people or more but we always make this large a batch to freeze them in 16 -20 ounce plastic containers to enjoy for lunch or with a great brunch for several weeks later. If you don't want to make that much, the recipe is easily halved.

We love these beans served with our favorite Apple Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwiches. The pulled pork and the beans are slow cooked for a similar amount of time so we often have both in the oven at the same time and are guaranteed leftovers for a couple of days, so it's a great weekend cooking project.

 Begin by soaking in water overnight or up to 48hours:

• 1 1/2 pounds dry white beans (or navy beans)

In a large skillet slowly fry:

• 1 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut in small pieces

Completely render the fat out of the bacon, leaving it crispy. Pour off the majority of
the fat from the pan. Set the bacon aside. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add:

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 large red onions chopped

Cook until the onions and garlic are softened, then add:

• 3 cups water

Let the water come to the boil to deglaze the pan. Add to a large covered roaster along
with the crisp bacon, the soaked beans which have been drained and add:

• 1 cup light or fancy molasses
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4  tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• one 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, pureed
• one 28 ounce can tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp dijon mustard

Stir all together well, cover and place in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 4 hours
stirring occasionally. The beans should be fully cooked and tender and the sauce
should thicken. I sometimes add a little extra boiling water during the cooking time if
the sauce thickens too quickly before the beans are fully cooked. This is not a problem
at all and can be done more than once if necessary.

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Sage and Thyme Chicken Stew with Cornbread Dumplings

Sage and Thyme Chicken Stew with Cornbread Dumplings

The winter weather is making me crave even more comfort food meals. The winds have been particularly howling the past few Days here on the Avalon and I think they've blown a chill through my bones. Just the sound of high winds has always made me shiver, so this quick chicken and dumplings recipe was a welcome meal.

Now I say chicken and dumplings but of course that Southern staple dish is not a traditional dish here in Newfoundland. I never had chicken stew growing up but we did always have "dough boys", our version of dumplings, cooked in simmering pots of soup or stew. Of course, many Southerners know a type of flour and water noodle as dumplings rather than the baking powder raised type I've used here, so it depends on where you hail from down there. I like both but decided a cornbread version would be great in this hearty recipe.

Some fresh herbs were on sale at the market and provided additional inspiration for the herbed gravy in this stew. Their fresh fragrance really reminded me of the promise of the coming Spring when I will again be able to pluck them fresh from a small herb garden near the kitchen door. Spring is still coming right? We had snow quite early this year so it sure will be welcome after what seems one of the longest winters I can ever remember.

Sage and Thyme Chicken Stew with Cornbread Dumplings

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A delicious, easy stick-to-your-ribs comfort food meal in about 2 hours.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt and pepper to season
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large white onion
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock ( 5 cups in total will be needed)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 4 carrots
• 1 cup corn kernals, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 4 rounded tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup water
• Cornbread Dumplings
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup cold butter
• 2/3 cup milk

Cooking Directions

1. Over medium high heat add the olive oil to the bottom of a heavy bottom dutch oven. Add the chicken to the heated oil, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing often until the chicken has browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. 
2. To the hot pot add the garlic, onions and celery and saute until the onions soften. Return the chicken to the pot and add the sage and thyme. Add 2 cups of the chicken stock. The stock should be boiling hot to speed up the cooking time of this recipe. Stir together, cover and place in a 350 degree oven for about an hour.
3. After an hour add the carrots, corn and peas along with the remaining 3 cups of hot chicken stock. Bring to the boil on the stove top and slowly add a thickening slurry made by whisking together the flour and water until no lumps are left; stir constantly as you add the slurry to stew. Drop the cornbread dumpling batter in large rounded tablespoonfuls into the stew and return to the oven for a half hour before serving.
   
4. To make the cornbread dumplings, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder. With a pastry blender or pulsing in a food processor, cut the butter into the flour until small pieces are still visible. Quickly stir in the milk with a wooden spoon until a thick batter forms. 

Sage and Thyme Chicken Stew with Cornbread Dumplings