{Recipe} Pork chops topped with a sweet Persimon® chutney

Growing up, I didn’t like persimmons as the fruit got too soft and mushy when it was ripe. When I was approached to try persimmons again and even cook with it, I was resistant at first until I found out that the Persimon® persimmons were different from the variety I had been eating my whole life.

Persimon® persimmons is the Rojo Brillante variety of persimmon grown in Ribera del Xúquer near Valencia in Spain and they look a bit longer and larger than the other types. What really makes it stand out is that they are ripe when firm. They are always ready to eat which is really cool. They are also available for a limited time from mid-October until January/February in several grocery stores in Ontario and Quebec.

The box that they come in may vary by store, so make sure to look for the persimmons with the Persimon® trademark. I found them readily at Metro in the produce section.

I love my savoury foods, so I decided to present a recipe that combined both sweet and savoury. This chutney with the Persimon® persimmons is not overly sweet, and the ground coriander and pine nuts really add to it. I prefer the Persimon® chutney over traditional apple sauce and I am sure you would like this too. I found the persimmons to have a peach like delicate flavour.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) shallots, finely diced
3 tbsp (45 ml) pine nuts
2 cups (500 ml) Persimon®, peeled and diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) ginger, minced
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 ml) paprika
1/4 tsp ( 1ml) red chili flakes
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt4 bone-in loin pork chops, cut 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped

(Source: http://persimonsays.com/)

I like to gather my ingredients before I cook.

In a small saucepan, add the olive oil and sauté the shallot on medium low heat until soft and translucent. Add the pine nuts and stir till lightly toasted, 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the chops generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet to medium high and add 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil. Put in the pork chops and sear for 5 minutes. Turn over and brown well on the second side for a total of 10 minutes. Add the Persimon® chutney to the skillet and sprinkle with cilantro. Place a lid on the skillet and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Transfer the pork chops to a serving plate and top with compote.

Makes 4 servings

I am thankful to be introduced to Persimon® persimmons. I will be buying these again to incorporate into various recipes where I would use fruits such as compotes for my pancakes or to top my yogurt/ice cream.

For more information on the nutrition facts and other recipes, check out www.persimonsays.com. Follow @persimonsays and #persimonsays on Twitter.

*Disclosure: I was provided the recipe and a gift card to purchase the ingredients to make the dish. The opinions are my own.