Stuffed Pork Chops with Sage

This is my take on quite a regular weekly dinner. This version really increases the flavour and will leave you wanting more.

Ingredients

1kg floury potatoes, cut in 2cm/1in diced pieces with the skins left on

4 thick pork chops on the bone

50g softened butter

4 dried apricots, finely diced

1 bulb of garlic

16 fresh sage leaves

Sea salt and black pepper to season

Rapeseed oil

Plain flour

200g packet of bacon lardons

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220ºC.

• Put the potatoes into a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 4–5 minutes as you only need to parboil them. Drain them in a colander and let them steam dry.

• Lay the pork chops flat on a chopping board and insert a small paring knife horizontally into the chop and make a hidden pocket, making sure the tip of the knife does not come out either side.

• Mash together the butter, dried apricots, a peeled and finely chopped clove of garlic, 8 chopped sage leaves and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Push this flavoured butter into the pockets of the pork chops, dividing it up evenly.

• Take 8 more leaves of sage and toss them in oil, then dip one side in some plain flour and stick one, flour side down onto each side of the chops. Set aside.

• Pour the potatoes into a large ovenproof dish along with the bacon lardons and the rest of the cloves of garlic, peeled. Season and drizzle with oil and place into the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes altogether.

• When the potatoes have been in the oven for 10 minutes place a frying pan on a hot hob and add a drizzle of oil. When the pan is really hot put in the chops and fry for 10 minutes turning occasionally to get them nice and golden.

• Remove the dish from the oven, add the chops on top, and pop back into the oven for the final 10–15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops.