With Halloween just around the corner, I’m thinking about apples and cider. For this dinner, I add them to pork with a hint of rosemary for a Halloween treat. Charred sweet potatoes add a colorful side dish. They keep well; make extra to go with another meal.
October is a perfect month for apples. Many varieties are available. Rome and Golden Delicious apples are great for cooking. They hold their shape. Red Delicious or Granny Smith lose their shape when cooked.
Helpful Hints:
— You can also use Fuji or Gala apples.
— Look for sparkling apple cider in the market, not apple cider vinegar.
— You can use apple juice instead of apple cider.
Countdown:
— Start pork.
— While pork cooks, make sweet potatoes.
— Finish pork recipe.
Shopping List:
To buy: 3/4 pound boneless pork loin chops, 1 bottle dried rosemary, 1 bottle sparkling apple cider, 1 medium Golden Delicious or Rome apple, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 bunch scallions.
Staples: olive oil, flour, salt and black peppercorns.
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APPLE CIDER PORK
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
3/4 pound boneless pork loin chops
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup sparkling apple cider
1 medium Golden Delicious or Rome apple, cored and sliced
Remove visible fat from pork. Add flour to a plate and dip both sides of the pork into the flour and sprinkle the pork with the dried rosemary. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork on both sides, about 2 minutes. Add the cider and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid and cook 5-7 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees. Remove the pork to a cutting board. Add the apple slices to the skillet. Raise the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Slice pork and divided between two dinner plates. Spoon the sauce and apples on top.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 366 calories (25% from fat), 10.2 g fat (2.2 g saturated, 3.9 g monounsaturated), 96 mg cholesterol, 41.7 g protein, 28.2 g carbohydrates, 2.7 g fiber, 157 mg sodium.
CHARRED SWEET POTATO
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 sweet potatoes (about 8 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided use
2 thinly sliced scallions (about 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat boiler. Wash potatoes, do not peel, cut in half lengthwise. Place in a microwave oven and cook on high 5 minutes. Remove potatoes and scoop out the pulp into a bowl. Break up the flesh with a fork. Add half the olive oil and scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and place back in the potato skins. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, cut side up. Brush the potatoes with the remaining olive oil and place under the broiler, 5 inches from the heat, for 3 minutes. Watch to make sure they don’t burn.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 263 calories (24% from fat), 6.9 g fat (1 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 4 g protein, 47.6 g carbohydrates, 7.5 g fiber, 129 mg sodium.
