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Apricot Stuffed Pork Chops with Wild Rice Salad

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Ingredients
  

  • 4 pork rib chops
  • 1 batch Apple Cider Brine see below
  • 1 batch Roasted Beet & Wild Rice Salad see below
  • 1 batch Apricot Mascarpone Stuffing see below

Apple Cider Brine

  • 1 473 ml, 16 fl oz can alcoholic cider
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 5-6 sprigs fresh sage
  • 4 star anises pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Roasted Beet Wild Rice Salad

  • 1 red beet
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
  • 1/2 cup raw pecans halves
  • 70 g 2.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard heaping

Apricot Mascarpone Stuffing

  • 2 apricots diced fine
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

For the Brine

  • Pour the cider into a small saucepan. Add the sugars and salt as well as the spices and aromatics. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolves completely, then remove from the heat and let cool for 2 hours.
  • Place the pork chops in either a resealable bag or a deep pan. Pour the cooled brine over the pork chops and either seal the bag or, if using a pan, apply a weight to the chops to ensure they remain fully immersed in the brine. Let sit in the fridge for 24 hours.

For the Salad

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Wash the beet and pierce it on all sides with a fork. Place the beet in the center of a piece of tin foil and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and wrap the tin foil around the beet so it is fully encased.
  • Place the beet on a baking sheet to catch any drips and place in the oven. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove the beet from the oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes. Transfer the beet to the fridge to cool completely.
  • Pour the wild rice, water, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt into a medium saucepan. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to a low simmer. Let cook for 40 minutes or until the grains of rice split. There may be some residual moisture in the pot, so drain the rice using a fine mesh strainer. Fluff the rice and set aside to cool completely.
  • When everything is cool, place the rice, roasted beet, cucumber, pecans and goat cheese in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the remaining olive oil, the remaining salt, the balsamic vinegar, garlic and mustard together. Pour the mixture over the salad and toss to coat.
  • Chill the salad until ready to serve.

For the Stuffing

  • Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Transfer the stuffing to a large piping bag with a wide tip and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Assemble

  • Remove the pork chops from their brine. Rinse the chops briefly and pat dry.
  • Cut a 3 1/2 inch slit in the meaty side of each pork chop. Carefully cut the hole deeper using the tip of a very sharp knife. The cavity should be roughly 3-inches deep.
  • Pipe the filling into each pork chop and close with 2-3 toothpicks. Season both sides of the pork chops with a little salt and pepper.
  • Place the chops on a very hot grill or griddle pan and cook for roughly 5-6 minutes a side. A hint of pink at the thickest part of the chop is what you're looking for. Just a hint. Tent the chops in foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Unwrap the pork chops and serve alongside a hefty serving of the Roasted Beet Wild Rice Salad.