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. 

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

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Thanksgiving may still be a ways away for our American cousins south of the border but it is right around the corner for us here in Canada, so with one of the biggest turkey days of the year at hand, here's a delicious idea for a very flavorful roast turkey that your guests will love. The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey. The cavity of the turkey gets stuffed with extra aromatic lemon and sage do that the flavor infuses from inside and out. If you're looking for an easy and delicious way to depart from your traditional roast turkey, this is the recipe you need.

Some delicious Maple Roasted Vegetables are pictured with this tasty turkey too.

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes.
Cook time: Aproximately 20 minutes per pound.
Total time: Dependent on turkey size.
Ingredients

• One 10-15 pound turkey
• 3/4 cup butter
• zest of one lemon, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, (or 1 tsp dry sage if fresh is unavailable)
• 1/2 clove fiinely minced garlic (optional)
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 springs fresh sage
• 1 small onion, or large shallot cut in chunks

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together the butter, lemon zest, salt, pepper, sage and minced garlic until well combined.
3. Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs of the turkey by very gently pushing your fingers between the skin and the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin.
4. Using about a tablespoon of the lemon sage butter at a time, gently push it under the skin all over the turkey.
5. Pat the outside of the turkey to distribute the butter as evenly as you can all over the bird.
6. Place the onion (or shallot), lemon and sage sprigs in the microwave for a minute or so to get them heated before stuffing them into the body cavity of the turkey. Preheating them helps these aromatics begin to immediately start infusing their flavors as the turkey roasts.
7. Tie the turkey legs together with butcher string and tuck the wing tips under the turkey.
8. Place the turkey on a roasting rack and roast UNCOVERED until the turkey is completely cooked. It is not necessary to baste this turkey.
9. Turkey generally takes about 20 minutes per pound to be completely cooked but sometimes an unstuffed bird will roast more quickly. I ALWAYS use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature at the center of the thickest part of the breast and thighs has reached 170 degrees F. Avoid hitting a bone with your thermometer as this can give an inaccurate reading.
10. ALWAYS let your turkey rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 20 minutes before carving. This step is essential for a juicy turkey; carving a turkey too early can result in drier meat, especially breast meat.