January is the month for "tucking in"! What better way to feel cozy and comfy than with delicious down-home cooking that stirs the soul and warms the heart!
Our Pan-Seared Pork Chops comes with a Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney that you can pair with numerous main dishes in our archives, like Roasted Leg of Lamb or Seared Salmon. If you're looking for an alternative to mashed potatoes, you'll love our Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower. And winter dessert doesn't get any better than Apricot-Pecan Baked Apples. The aroma alone will make everyone come running!
- Seared Pork Chops with Cran-Pineapple Chutney
- Relish the difference.
- Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
- Healthy alternative to potatoes.
- Apricot-Pecan Baked Apples
- Crispy and comfy for winter.
Seared Pork Chops with Cran-Pineapple Chutney
Pork these days is the new chicken—healthier than ever and amenable to scores of great cooking techniques.
Did you know that pork loin chops have less total fat content than a skinless chicken thigh? And less cholesterol than a skinless chicken breast? Here, Chef James Brockman has pan seared our chops and created a garnish—Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney—that lends just the right relish.
* Total Time: 15 minutes
* Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Serves 6
- Six 180 g (6 oz) pork chops (2.5 cm (1 in) thick)
- 5 mL (1 tsp) salt
- 5 mL (1 tsp) pepper
- 10 mL (2 tsp) vegetable oil
Directions:
- Season chops with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in skillet over high heat until hot. Add the pork chops and sear on each side for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Cook chops for about four minutes on both sides until done.
- Serve topped with Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney.
Chef's note:
Generally, fresh cuts of pork, like roasts, chops, and tenderloin, can be kept well wrapped in the freezer for up to six months. Well-wrapped ground pork can be kept for about three months in the freezer. For best results, use a Ziploc® brand Double Guard® Freezer Bag. Put a double layer of waxed paper between chops and patties. Cover sharp bones with extra paper so the bones do not pierce the wrapping. Wrap the meat tightly, pressing as much air out of the package as possible. Label with the name of the pork cut and date. Freeze at -18°C (0°F) or lower.
Cranberry-Pineapple Chutney
A great chutney is like a versatile accessory you can mix and match with almost anything.
This cranberry-pineapple relish was created by Chef James Brockman to showcase our Pan-Seared Pork Chops. Personally, I love this chutney in the morning smeared on toast or in the afternoon with crackers and tea. It's even good with peanut butter, instead of jelly! You're sure to find a use for it.
* Total Time: 25 minutes
* Prep Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Serves 6
- 5 mL (1 tsp) vegetable oil
- 1 large (240 g (8 oz)) red onion, chopped
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) whole grain mustard
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) apple cider vinegar
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) sugar or equivalent artificial sweetener
- 5 mL (1 tsp) dried thyme
- 1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) allspice
- One 720 mL (24 oz) can pineapple chunks with juice (do not drain)
- One 360 mL (12 oz) package fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
Directions:
- In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot. Add the red onion and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar or artificial sweetener, thyme, allspice, and the juice from the canned pineapple.
- Bring mixture to a boil and cook until it is reduced by half. Add the cranberries, reduce heat to medium, and cook while stirring often for 10-15 minutes. Cranberries should start to split open and become tender as the mixture thickens.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks and remove from heat.
- Serve hot over fish or meats or at room temperature.
Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
Finally—faux mashed potatoes! And a lot healthier! Cauliflower is a rich source of vitamin C as well as fibre and folate (a vitamin important to the body's cells).
Here, Chef James Brockman has transformed cauliflower into something even kids will love. Even with the cheese topping, the calories in this recipe remain super low. When shopping for cauliflower, look for a head with bright green leaves and firm, creamy white florets.
* Total Time: 15 minutes
* Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Serves 6
- 1 head cauliflower
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 5 mL (1 tsp) dried oregano
- 5 mL (1 tsp) dried thyme
- 5 mL (1 tsp) salt, or to taste
- 5 mL (1 tsp) pepper, or to taste
Directions:
- Wash the cauliflower well (dirt can collect in hard-to-reach places). Cut the cauliflower into pieces and place into a steamer basket in a pot over boiling water.
- Steam cauliflower in a Ziploc® brand Zip ‘n Steam™ Cooking Bag until a fork can easily glide into it.
- Place the cauliflower into a bowl and crush with a potato masher until consistently mashed.
- Add the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, oregano, and thyme. Stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve warm.
Apricot-Pecan Baked Apples
Don't let winter go by without making this crunchy baked apple recipe.
Sure, you can just sprinkle some cinnamon on any old apple, pat a dab of butter inside, and bake at 177 °C (350 °F), but Chef James Brockman has created a filling of dried apricots and pecans that is irresistible. We chose bright green Granny Smith apples because their crisp, mouthwatering tartness comes through especially well when baked. But the recipe is equally good when made with Golden Delicious apples.
* Total Time: 40 minutes
* Prep Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Serves 6
- 6 Granny Smith apples (or your favourite baking apples)
- 1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) nutmeg
- 1.25 mL (1/4 tsp) allspice
- 0.5 mL (1/8 tsp) ground cloves
- 5 mL (1 tsp) ground ginger
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) dried apricots (sliced)
- 175 mL (3/4 cup) toasted pecan pieces
- 45 mL (3 tbsp) brown sugar
- 45 mL (3 tbsp) butter (cut into small cubes)
- 5 mL (1 tsp) cinnamon
- Non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 177 °C (350 °F).
- In a small bowl, combine the nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, apricots, toasted pecans, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
- Stir this mixture together until ingredients are evenly combined. (This will be your stuffing.)
- Peel the apples, but leave on substantial stripes of skin for color.
- With a melon baller, make a well in the apple far enough down to remove the seeds. Leave the bottom of the apple intact so the stuffing does not leak out.
- Spray a 10 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the apples upright and fill with stuffing.
- Bake the apples at 177 °C (350 °F) for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.
