I cooked up some pork chops for dinner last and wanted to try something a little different. So I made an apple relish topper, and mushroom risotto, along with caramelized carrots with a balsamic reduction.
Apple relish:
1 apple peeled and diced (I like baking apples, i.e. granny smith, MacIntosh, etc.)
3 tbsp butter
1/2 med. onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp sage
salt and pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
Melt the butter medium heat. add the apples and onions. Saute and stir for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another 2 minutes. Add rest of the ingredients and cook another 5 minutes.
Mushroom risotto:
1 cup arborio or other short grained rice
3 cups chicken stock (have this simmering on the stove)
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
4 oz chopped or sliced mushrooms (I used criminis, but so many types...just go nutz)
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 c parmesan
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp EV olive oil
salt and pepper
over medium heat melt the butter in the olive oil. Add onions and stir for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir for 3 more minutes. Add garlic rice and stir 3 more minutes. Add seasonings and stir in. Pour in 2 ladles of broth and stir. Keep stirring through rest of cooking. As the broth is absorbed by the rice,add broth one ladle at a time, until the broth is gone. This will take about 15-20 minutes. When the last of the broth is absorbed stir in the parmesan.
Carrots we're simple. I just peeled and sliced and tossed them in a couple tbsp of butter, cooked for about 5 minutes. Than added salt,pepper, pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a tbsp of brown sugar. stirred it together and added about 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and let it reduce to a syrup.
The relish served on top of the pork chops, with the risotto and carrots on the side.
Enjoy
