Pork with Pear Chutney

I say just pork and not a specific cut because this could go with any cut of pork. Roast, tenderloin, loin or chop. Pork pairs well with sweet fruit flavors and the pears went swimmingly with my pork chops. There is sweetness from the brown sugar and the pears. But the savory comes in with the rosemary and the shallots. It really has such a complex flavor with very little effort. This would be a great holiday dish, especially because you could make the chutney a few days ahead.



1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
5 cups peeled firm pears, chopped in 1/2 inch chunks, about 6 pears
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
Scant 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Scant 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the shallots. Saute until lightly browned. Pour in the pear chunks. Add all the remaining ingredients and gently stir to combine. Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pears are slightly broken down and the sauce is thickened.

Served with this: Red leaf lettuce salad with tomatoes and cucumbers and nasty feta cheese. You should have seen my Baby Van eating the feta by the handful. It made me gag.


Rookie's Notes: As for the pork, like I said, you can do whatever you want. It's really up to you and about how many you are feeding and how much you want to spend. If you don't need very many servings, I say go with tenderloin. It's a little pricier, but with how tender it is, the price doesn't seem to phase you when you taste it. If you want cheap, go with bone-in chops. If you want something ready at the end of the day, do a pork roast in the slow cooker. If you are feeding a crowd, I say double the chutney recipe and roast up a big pork loin.

If you need any help on how to cook these different cuts of pork, e-mail me. whitney_leigh_ingram@yahoo.com. I would be happy to write up some instructions for you. I really would. I love being able to help.