It almost sounds like a fairytale, doesn’t it? “Pig and the Pear.” You could imagine the story about a savory, crispy, juicy pork chop deep-fried to a golden brown in shortening meeting a sweet and spicy pear chutney as they fight an evil witch (the witch in this story being played by hunger). The flavor is just as fantastical as a fairy tale, and it’s just what you need to add a little whimsy to your dinner plans. Pig and the Pear is a taste story your tastebuds will want to reread again and again.
Ingredients
For the chops:
- vegetable shortening, for frying
- 8 (1/2-inch-thick) pork chops, bone-in
- salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
For the chunky pear chutney:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup raw cane sugar
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon pink peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- salt, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Melt the shortening in a deep skillet until it comes 1-inch up the side of the pan, and heat to 360 degrees F.
Step 2 –While the shortening is heating, season the pork chops with the salt and the pepper to taste.
Step 3 –In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the water, the cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper.
Step 4 –In a resealable plastic bag, mix the flour and the cornstarch.
Step 5 –Coat the pork chops in the egg mixture, then place them in the bag with the flour mixture and shake to coat.
Step 6 –Fry the pork chops in the melted shortening until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side.
Step 7 –Transfer the pork to paper towels to drain. If you can’t cook the pork chops at the same time, keep them warm in a warm oven.
Step 8 –In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Step 9 –Sauté the pears in the melted butter for 2 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the cider vinegar, the raw cane sugar, the golden raisins, the jalapeño, the ginger, the peppercorns, the smoked paprika, the hot paprika, and the allspice and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 11 –Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
Step 12 –Season the chutney with salt to taste.
Step 13 –Serve the pork chops with the chutney.
