Pork chops that have gone gourmet

Pork chops are one versatile meat! And, it's indeed versatile in that pork chops can be baked, fried, barbecued, served with or without gravy....and the list goes on! Pork has even become better accepted into the American diet, since the pork is now leaner. You may recall several years ago when it was advertised that pork was "the other white meat".

Though the methods of preparation for pork chops that I mentioned are certainly fine, let's take the pork chop a step further and put a gourmet twist to it by stuffing them with a fruit stuffing. "Fruit-Stuffed Pork Chops" is a dish that's special enough for company and surprisingly economical and easy to prepare. Pork chops are often on sale, so keep this recipe on standby whenever they are put on sale again.

This dish calls for the chops to have a pocket cut into them to hold the stuffing. Basically, all you're doing is cutting a deep slit in the center of the chop. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, you can ask your butcher to do it for you. However, it's a simple step, as long as you have a good, sharp knife. The chops are stuffed with the fruit stuffing, then browned. They are then simmered until they're tender. That's pretty easy for gourmet!

The stuffing contains apples and raisins (or dates, if you prefer), along with several seasonings. The flavors of the fruits blend very well with the seasonings, hence complementing the pork. The bread crumbs called for in the stuffing can be any of your favorite flavors of soft bread. I prefer whole wheat bread crumbs, though any soft bread will work fine.

I shared another recipe using pork chops last fall, called "Chops and Cheesy Potatoes", which is a meat and vegetable dish baked at the same time. In case you missed it, here's the link to get it again:

http://www.examiner.com/article/chops-baked-with-a-side-dsh

It's easy to make a plain, ordinary pork chop something special! Follow this recipe and see for yourself!

FRUIT-STUFFED PORK CHOPS

• 4 rib or loin pork chops, 1 inch thick
• Fruit Stuffing (follows)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons water

With a sharp knife, cut a pocket deep inside each chop. Fill loosely with the stuffing and secure openings with toothpicks. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown chops over medium heat. Add the water, then reduce heat to very low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 55 minutes. Serves 4.

Fruit Stuffing:

• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• 1/2 cup diced tart apple
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons dates or seedless raisins
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon sage
• 1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Combine the ingredients until well mixed.