INDULGENCE in Food & Entertaining
Berkshire Pork Chops with Pineapple Kumquat Chutney
Berkshire pork and Kurobuta pork are the same thing —-an heirloom breed regarded highly for the superior flavour and marbling of meat. If you’ve never tasted it, it will be a revelation. Plan to brine the chops overnight for maximum flavour. Sweet sauces paired with pork is a timeless combination. The spiciness of the curry and cloves give the fruit chutney a nice balance. Although the chutney recipe is large, it freezes well (it keeps up to three months) and makes a wonderful gift.
Serves:4
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 double-cut pork rib chops, 12 oz (340 g) EACH, bone in, preferably free-range or Berkshire, tied
- Brine (recipe to follow)
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) whole allspice
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) coriander seed
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin seed
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) juniper berries
- 1 tsp (5 mL) whole black peppercorns
- Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing the grill
- Glazed onions and new potatoes (recipe to follow)
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) spiced pineapple and kumquat chutney (recipe to follow)
-
Watercress, for garnish
Brine:
- 1 quart water (1 L)
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
- 21/2 tbsp (37.5 mL) sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 juniper berries, smashed
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tsp (5 mL) red pepper flakes
-
4 pork rib chops
Spiced Pineapple and Kumquat Chutney
- Makes 11/2 quarts (1.5 L)
- 2 tsp (10 mL) whole cardamom pods
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground ginger
- 2 tsp (10 mL) curry powder
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 21/2 cups (625 mL) white wine vinegar
- 1 pineapple, peeled and cut in 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice
- 2 to 3 ripe pears, such as Bartlett, peeled and diced
- 11/2 lb (675 g) kumquats, halved lengthwise, seeded, and quartered
- 2 cups (500 mL) sugar
Directions
To prepare the brine, in a large container, combine the water, sugar, sea salt, bay leaves, juniper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Give it a stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Submerge the pork chops in the brine, cover, and put in the refrigerator for 8 hours or up to overnight to tenderize the meat. Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. To make the aromatic spice mix, heat a small dry skillet over low flame and toast the allspice, coriander, cumin, juniper and peppercorns for just a minute to release the fragrant oils; shake the pan so the mix doesn’t scorch. In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, buzz the toasted spices to a coarse powder. Season the pork chops liberally with the ground spice mix. There’s no need to add salt because the salt in the brine penetrated the meat all the way through.
Place a large grill pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill until very hot. Brush oil on the grill to prevent sticking. Lay the pork chops on the hot grill, and sear for 7 to 8 minutes on each side, rotating them halfway through cooking to mark them. The chops will have a deep dark brown colour because of the sugar in the brine. Let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes in order to allow the juices to recirculate before cutting off the twine and serving. To serve, divide the onions and potatoes among 4 plates, rest a pork chop on the vegetable pillow, and dollop the chutney next to the chop. Garnish with a little watercress.
Spiced Pineapple and Kumquat Chutney
Heat a small dry skillet over low flame and toast the cardamom, cloves and peppercorns for just a minute to release the fragrant oils; shake the pan so they don’t scorch. In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, buzz the toasted spices to a coarse powder. Put spice powder in a large saucepan and add ginger, curry, nutmeg and vinegar. Heat over medium flame for 5 to 8 minutes. Fold in fruit and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, to stew the fruit. Sprinkle in sugar, and continue to simmer for 10 additional minutes, until sugar is dissolved and the compote is thick and chunky. For a different texture, purée the chutney to make a smooth sauce. The sauce may be served hot or cold.