Pork Chops Stuffed With Prunes And Pine Nuts Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Soak prunes in wine, if you wish, for as long as possible. Drain prunes, reserving wine. With a long sharp knife, make a slit in the center of the loin and stuff it with prunes (reserve prunes that won't fit into pork).
• In a large casserole heat butter. When foaming subsides add the onion or leek, celery and carrot. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve for later. Add vegetable oil to the casserole and heat. When hot, add the loin and brown on all sides, including the ends. When pork is browned, remove it to a plate. Discard all fat from the casserole, but leave behind any drippings. Return cooked vegetables to the bottom of the casserole. Add the meat on top and add any prunes which didn't fit into the loin.
• Cover loin with reserved white wine you soaked the prunes in, broth, bay leaf and garlic. Put a lid on casserole and set in oven. Cook for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until pork juices run a clear yellow (difference in time depends on how thick the loin is; internal temp is 165 degrees). Remove casserole from oven and remove the pork and let rest while you make the sauce. Strain the juices into a "degreasing" cup or heat-resistant cup. Discard aromatic vegetables and prunes. The fat will rise above the juices; discard it. Return juices to casserole and boil down until thickened. Finish with a tablespoon of butter or not as you wish. Slice pork into thin slices, serve with saffron rice, sugar snap peas and spoon sauce over the top.

Steps:

• Trim excess fat from the chops. Mince about one tablespoon of the fat and heat it in a large skillet. Quickly brown the chops on both sides on a high heat in the fat. Remove chops.
• Lower heat and add onion. Saute until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic and ginger and continue to cook, stirring for another minute or two. Add the prunes, brandy and honey. Stir.
• Return the chops to the skillet along with any juices they may have released upon standing. Season with salt and pepper and baste with the sauce. Cover skillet and simmer very gently until the chops are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Arrange chops on a platter. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.

Steps:

• To prepare the cranberry filling: Soak 1 cup dried cranberries in the boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain the cranberries, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Place the cranberries, reserved water, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a food processor. Process until finely chopped; set aside.
• Bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the chicken stock has reduced to half its original volume, about 15 minutes. Add the white wine, red wine, cranberry juice, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Continue cooking until the sauce has reduced by half again, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Cut a pocket into the side of each pork chop, about 3/4 of the way through. Stuff each pork chop with the dried cranberry mixture, then season on all sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Cook the pork chops on one side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pork chops over, and cook another few minutes until browned on the other side too.
• Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Place the skillet in the preheated oven, and bake until the pork is no longer pink in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).
• To serve, place each pork chop onto a warmed dinner plate, and spoon the sauce from the skillet over top. Sprinkle the pork chops with 2 tablespoons dried cranberries and 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts for decoration. Serve with the remaining cranberry sauce.

Steps:

• Two days in advance, place prunes in a bowl, add Armagnac, cover and refrigerate.
• Make a deep cut lengthwise down the middle of the pork. Spread meat out flat, like a book. Season with salt and pepper. Drain prunes well, reserving Armagnac for another use. Place prunes in double layer down the center of the pork. Close meat over them and tie at 1 1/2-inch intervals with butcher's cord. Dust with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large heavy skillet or casserole, preferably enameled cast iron, add duck fat or oil. Sear meat over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides. Remove meat. Reduce heat to low, add carrot, onion and garlic and cook until softened but not brown. Add wine and reduce by half. Stir in tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Return meat to pan, add veal stock, bring to a simmer and place pan in oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, turn meat and continue cooking about one hour longer, basting every 10 to 15 minutes. Add water as needed to keep one inch of liquid in pan.
• Remove from oven. Place meat on cutting board, and tent with foil to keep warm. Gently simmer liquid in pan 5 minutes or so, then force through a sieve into a saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice pork and arrange on platter. Reheat sauce, spoon a little over the meat and pass the rest alongside.

Steps:

• Brown the pork chops in a skillet.
• Add 1/4 cup of the wine and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
• While the chops are simmering, place the prunes and the remaining wine in an ovenproof dish and bake in 300°F oven for 20 minutes.
• Once done, remove the pork chops from the skillet and add the heavy cream and current jelly to the hot skillet.
• Coook quickly, over high heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and shiny.
• Pour the sauce over the pork chops and garnish with the baked prunes in wine.