Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Carrots

Here’s another one from Real Simple (September 2009). I had all of the ingredients on-hand and made this for a weeknight supper.  I’d give it an OK. The roasted carrots & onions were the best part of the dish. I must have over cooked the pork chops a bit because they ended up dry and quite frankly a bit bland. Life’s too short to eat dry pork!!

Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Carrots

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 15m

Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds) (I used boneless chops)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a baking sheet, toss the carrots, onion, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Before going into the oven...

2. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 25 to 28 minutes.

...Coming out of the oven (the onions look a bit overcooked - ok BURNT - but they tasted good)

3. Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, preserves, and coriander in a bowl. Using a paring knife, cut a 3-inch-deep pocket in the side of each chop; stuff with the mixture.

4. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Season the pork with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

6. Transfer pork to oven (on the rack above the carrots) and roast until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with the carrots.

By Sara Quessenberry,  September 2009