Name: Pork, apricot and almond bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ½ cup dried apricots, sliced; 4 x thick-cut pork forequarter chops; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season; ¾ cup plain flour; 2 tsp chipotle seasoning; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 2 red onions, thickly sliced; 4 sticks celery, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 bunch sage leaves; 1 cup white wine; 2 cups chicken stock; ½ cup apricot jam; 2 x 410g apricot halves in juice; ½ cup tamari almonds, roughly chopped; Garden salad and sliced baguette, to serve

Ed loves taking a childhood favourite and giving it a modern twist, and tonight is no different. The classic apricot chicken is getting an upgrade to apricot pork. With three kinds of apricot making a deliciously sweet gravy and some simple vegetables, it’s an easy dish to bake. While this meal will fast become your new favourite for its flavour, it’s the inexpensive cost of producing it that will keep you making it over and over again.

Ingredients

½ cup dried apricots, sliced

4 x thick-cut pork forequarter chops

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

¾ cup plain flour

2 tsp chipotle seasoning

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 red onions, thickly sliced

4 sticks celery, chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 bunch sage leaves

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup apricot jam

2 x 410g apricot halves in juice

½ cup tamari almonds, roughly chopped

Garden salad and sliced baguette, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced (190°C conventional). Put dried apricots in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside. Season pork chops. Mix flour and chipotle seasoning, then toss with chops until very well coated. Set aside for 2 minutes; toss again. Shake off excess.

Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan on high, sear chops on each side until just golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Discard oil. Pour remaining oil into pan, then fry onion, celery, garlic and sage for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a deep-sided roasting pan.

Drain dried apricots. Pour in wine, stock and jam, arrange chops on top with both apricots and almonds, then cover with baking paper and bake for 20 minutes. Remove paper and bake for a further 15-20 minutes. Serve pork tray bake with garden salad and baguette.

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Fast Ed Chef

'Fast' Ed Halmagyi is one of Australia’s best-loved TV chefs and food authors. For over a decade, Ed has appeared on television and radio, in newspapers, magazines and books.

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