Gluten-Free In this unusual yet delightful pairing, thick-cut chops are soaked in a pear juice brine mixture, browned and then served with a piquant pear chutney. Enjoy this dish with spinach or green beans. Serves 4 For the Pear Brine · 1/3 cup kosher salt · 1/3 cup sugar · 3 slices fresh ginger root, peeled · 1 dried bay leaf · 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves · 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns · 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries · 2 cups pear juice * 2 cups water For the Cranberry-Pear Chutney · 1 teaspoon canola oil · 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot · 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root · 1 tablespoon lemon juice · 2 Bartlett pears, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks · 1/2 cup dried cranberries · 3/4 cup light brown sugar · 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger · 1/2 cup white wine vinegar For the Pork Chops · 4 thick-cut pork chops (about 4 ounces each), bone-in · 1 teaspoon butter · 1 teaspoon olive oil
To make the brine, combine salt, sugar, ginger root, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, allspice, pear juice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat, pour into a casserole dish and chill until cool, 30 to 60 minutes. Submerge pork chops in brine and refrigerate for an hour. Remove pork chops from brine, rinse under cool water and pat dry. Discard brine. Set chops aside while you make the chutney. Heat oil over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add shallot and ginger and cook until fragrant and lightly translucent, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add lemon juice, pears, cranberries, brown sugar, ginger and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook over medium heat until pears are tender and chutney is thick, 20 to 25 minutes, watching carefully to ensure chutney does not scorch. Set aside. To cook the pork chops, heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add butter and oil and swirl to coat pan. When hot, add chops and brown each side, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low and continue cooking until pork is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Serve with chutney. Nutrition Info Per serving (About 14.5oz/408g-wt.): 460 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 26g protein, 68g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 59g sugar), 75mg cholesterol, 580mg sodium Recipes from www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes