Pork Chops With Prunes Recipes

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SHALLOTS AND PRUNES

Steps:

• To brine the pork: Dissolve the salt and brown sugar in 2 cups cold water in a glass or stainless steel bowl large enough to hold the tenderloin. Add the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Submerge the meat, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight is better). Before cooking, remove the tenderloin, pat dry and bring to room temperature. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• To make the sauce and roast: Simmer the prunes in the red wine until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the ginger and orange zest, and steep for 10 minutes
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the tenderloin, about 3 minutes per side. (Turn off heat and use the same pan to make the sauce.) Transfer the tenderloin to a small roasting pan. Roast uncovered for about 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. (Residual heat will cause the meat to continue to cook a bit while resting.)
• To finish the sauce, melt the butter in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened, stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape up any browned bits to enrich the sauce. Add chicken broth, turn up the heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in the prunes and wine, and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the Madeira if using. Taste and correct the seasoning, then add the potato starch mixture and cook for another minute to thicken. Spoon sauce and prunes over the sliced tenderloin.

BRAISED PORK WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a flame-proof casserole pan and cook the pork, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown all over, about 10 mins. You need plenty of space in the pan, so cook in 2 batches if the meat starts to steam. Remove from the pan to a plate. Tip out any burnt bits, then add the butter and cook the onion for 3-5 mins until softened.
• Stir in the flour, then return the pork and juices to the pan. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Tip in the prunes, top up with stock or water if the meat isn't covered, and cook 45 mins more, uncovered, until really tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

PORK CHOPS STUFFED WITH PRUNES AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the prunes with enough water to cover them by 1/4-inch. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the port and bring back up to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain the prunes, coarsely chop, and set them aside. Reserve the liquid. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the pine nuts, stirring frequently for 1 or 2 minutes, until golden. Add the prunes and the remaining 1/4 cup of port to the pan. Continue cooking and stirring until the liquid is reduced to a glaze. Stir in the salt and pepper and cool to room temperature. Cut horizontally into the edges of the pork chops almost to the bones to create a pocket for the stuffing. Stuff the chops loosely (if there is leftover stuffing reserve it for the sauce).
• Secure the edges of each chop with 2 toothpicks. Season the chops generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a roasting pan in it to heat it up. Heat a large, heavy and well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Sear the chops for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chops to the pan in the oven and finish cooking them for about 20 minutes, until the chops are done through. Meanwhile, add the oil to the skillet which you used to sear the pork. Over medium-low heat, saute the shallots for 6 to 8 minutes, until translucent. Add the port, beef broth, and the reserved prune-cooking liquid to the pan and, if there was any filling leftover after stuffing the chops, add it now. Increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid, uncovered, until it is thickened and saucy, stirring frequently. Stir in the butter and lemon juice until the butter is completely absorbed. Serve the chops immediately, spooning the sauce over the top.

PORK CHOPS PARISIENNE WITH PRUNES

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.

PORK LOIN STUFFED WITH PRUNES

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.

PORK CHOPS WITH PRUNES

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.

PORK CHOPS WITH PEARL ONIONS IN PRUNE SAUCE (FLAMBE')

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mini food processor puree prunes with enough apple juice to make a smooth paste.
• Heat a skillet over high heat, season chops with salt & pepper. Sear chops in the oil until well-browned on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the same skillet from chops, sweat shallots in pan drippings until tender. Make sure your stove fan is off then carefully add Cognac as it will flame; if not, ignite with a match. Shake pan until flames die out. Continue cooking, scraping bottom of pan too incorporate any browned bits.
• Add veal stock, pearl onions, and prune puree and boil until reduced by half. Stir in butter, just until melted. Plate up pork chops over buttered egg noodles and pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

COUNTRY FRENCH PORK WITH PRUNES AND APPLES

Steps:

• Mix flour, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper; rub over pork. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown roast on all sides. Place roast in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Add onions, apple cider, beef stock and bay leaves., Cook, covered, on low 3 hours. Add apples and dried plums. Cook, covered, on low 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer or until apples and pork are tender. Remove roast, onions, apples and plums to a serving platter, discarding bay leaves; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

PORK WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pat chops dry and season with salt. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chops in batches, turning over once, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Add shallot to pot and sauté until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add vinegar and boil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Stir in water, broth, and allspice and bring to a simmer. Return chops to pot with prunes. Braise, covered, in middle of oven until chops are very tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a platter using a slotted spoon. Boil sauce until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour over chops.