Pork Chops w/ Five Spice Apple Dressing

Inspired by Ming Tsai's "Asian Marinated Pork Loin with Gingered Sweet Potatoes and Five-Spice Apples", I put this together the other night.

Pork Chops with Five Spice Apple Dressing
a Jennifer Original

2 center cut boneless porkchops (at least 1-inch thick) fresh ground black pepper

2 TBSP olive oil
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3/4 tsp five spice powder
1/2 TBSP brown sugar
1 Granny Apple, diced
1/3 cup baby 'bella mushrooms
1 1/2 TBSP apple juice

additional 1/2 cup apple juice
1 TBSP butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion in olive oil (approximately 8 minutes or until they start to turn brown). Add five spice powder, brown sugar, 2/3rds of apple, mushrooms, and 1 1/2 TBSP apple juice. Heat through (about 2 minutes).

Season pork chops with black pepper. Make a pocket in the pork chops and stuff spiced apple-mushroom mixture inside. Secure pockets with toothpicks. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, return remaining unused stuffing to heat. Add 1/2 cup apple juice and reduce by about 1/2 liquid volume. Just before serving, whisk in 1 TBSP butter. Serve sauce mixture over top of baked pork chops.

Notes: The difference in texture between the interior and exterior mixtures made this complex in the mouth. Oh, and what to do with the remaining bits of apple? Actually I never diced them and just munched on them while cooking.

10/1/05 - edited to add photo from meal on 9/28

Posted by Jennifer at November 24, 2003 8:59 AM