Iowa Chop with Apricot Pecan Stuffing

Posted by Stewart Hopper STUFFING MIXTURE: 8 ounces Dried apricots

1/3 cup Brandy

2/3 cup Hot water

1/2 cup Onion -- minced

1/2 pound Unsalted butter

12 ounces Broken pecans (not chopped)

1 tablespoon Fennel seed

1 teaspoon White pepper

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

2 ounces Dried currants

1 tablespoon Grated orange peel

1/4 cup Apricot jam

whole eggs 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 pound Packaged seasoned bread -- stuffing crumbs

PORK: 12 each 6-8oz Iowa Chops

3 to 4 tb vegetable oil

OPTIONAL FLAMBE: 1 cup Brandy

Soak apricots in brandy and water for 1/2 hour. Drain, reserving liquid, and= chop apricots finely. Place together in a large bowl.

Saute onions in butter until tender. Add to apricots and reserved liquid;= set aside to cool slightly.

Add remaining stuffing ingredients (except the bread stuffing crumbs) in= order given. Mix well to break up the eggs.

Add bread crumbs and mix well. Refrigerate stuffing while preparing pork.

Make a pocket in the meat by slicing horizontally toward the bone halfway= up the thickness of the chop. Stuff each chop with about 1/3 cup of the= prepared stuffing, then sear both sides of the chop in a skillet with the= vegetable oil in it. Arrange the chops in a baking pan, cover, and bake= for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. (when pork tests 160 internally, it= is done)=20 There will be about 2 quarts of stuffing left, which should be served as a= side dish. Place it in a greased baking dish and bake uncovered in the oven= with the pork.

Heat brandy in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour hot brandy= into the hot baking pan with the meat, then touch with a lighted match. The= brandy will flame up, and at this point you can carry the meat dish to the= table and place it on a heavy trivet. The flames will subsidde after a= minute or so, but the baking dish will be too hot to pass, so the chops= must be served by the host or hostess.

Recipe by Leanne Jonker of Iowa City, Iowa; as published in the Cedar= Rapids Gazette 19 Nov 1994.