Latest Laois Recipe: Pork Chops Baked with Parsnips, Carrots and Apples

The combination of pork and apples is a real winner

Courtesy of Bord Bia

The combination of pork and apples is a traditional favourite and together with the mustard and honey this is a mouthwatering, flavoursome dish.

Serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

4 loin pork chops, well trimmed

300g parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways

300g carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways

2 dessert apples, quartered and cored

2 sprigs of thyme

2cm piece ginger, cut into thin matchsticks

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

50g butter, melted

2 bay leaves

2 teasp. honey

2 tablesp. Dijon style mustard

1 tablesp. wholegrain mustard

1 tablesp. cider vinegar

To serve: Potatoes, cut into wedges, seasoned and tossed in oil. Roast in the oven at the same time as the pork

Some thyme leave to sprinkle over

Set oven at Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F).

Place the parsnips, carrots, apples, thyme, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Pour over the melted butter and mix well. Place them in a large roasting tin along with the bay leaves.

Mix the honey, Dijon and wholegrain mustard and cider vinegar.  Place the chops in a bowl and pour over this mixture.  Season with salt and black pepper. Then add the chops to the roasting tin with the parsnips and apples.

Roast for 25 minutes until the chops and vegetables are cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with potato wedges. Spoon over juices from the roasting tin.

Nutritional analysis per serving:

Energy:                                    677kcal

Protein:                                    53g

Fat:                              26g (26g saturated)

Iron:                             3.8mg

Carbohydrate:             57g