While lying in bed, very early Saturday morning, I suddenly realized that I had no way of keeping track of my favorite recipes. (Yeah, unfortunately, this is what is going through my head at 5:50 AM on a Saturday morning.) So, I decided to come up with a new label….Top Recipe. That way at the end of the year, I can do a recap of all my favorites just like you other, ridiculously organized and twenty steps ahead of me, food bloggers do.
The reason that this popped into my head was because of this recipe. Because somewhere, somehow, I needed to remember that this was great. Beyond expectations great. Because really, what kind of expectations can one have for parsnips? I don’t expect much from them and they don’t expect much from me, and we are happy to co-exist in our mediocrity. But, no more. I, or rather Donna Hay, rose to the occasion and the parsnips rose right along with me. Seriously, people, this was fantastic, and it’s level of fantasticness was raised by it’s level of easiness. Fantastic + Easy = Top Recipe. The only thing I would recommend is using more pears and parsnips, because they are so good, you will want more.
I found this gem in issue #45 of Donna Hay Magazine.
Pork with Caramelized Pear and Parsnip
- 4 x 200g pork chops, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 2 firm pears, chopped
- 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 1 lemon, halved (I sliced mine)
- 60g butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Brush the pork with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 1–2 minutes each side or until browned.
Place the pear, parsnip, lemon, butter and sugar in a baking dish and toss until well combined. Top with the pork and roast for 25 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the parsnip and pear are caramelised. Serves 4
Melynda says
Certainly a must try, looks incredible.
wyo says
I made this recipe last night and it was a big hit with Little Girl AND her daddy, too! The pork chops came out PERFECTLY (I was excited; I almost always overcook meats). But I should have cooked my pears and parsnips longer ... I am much better at baking treats than preparing meals, but I am learning! (Lots of thanks to your blog for that!)
Amy says
Hi Pam - I made this for dinner last night. Yes, definitely a top recipe - really easy and tasty. However it took close to an hour for my pears and parsnips to caramelize! Maybe I the pieces were a lot bigger than yours?
Michelle says
OH...does this look good. Also looks super easy and fast which is just my style!
Gorgeous photos as always!
Krissy @ The Food Addicts says
what a great dish you have here. i actually have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do with my pork chops that i have in the freezer. i have to be creative like you!
Chris says
That looks good, Pam!
I use both my blog and BigOven to keep track of my recipes, but yeah, it can get overwhelming some times.
Joanne says
To be fair, I have pretty high expectations for parsnips. I've never had them. But have heard good things. So I truly expect them to blow me away should I ever eat them. You are aiding and abetting this with this recipe. Looks delicious!
grace says
pork, simply and lusciously prepared. yeah, i'd say gem is a good word to describe this recipe. 🙂
Fearless Kitchen says
This looks like a great recipe. I'm becoming more and more at home with parsnips, so this looks like a fun way to use them!
Cinnamon-Girl♥ says
The combo of all three flavors sounds excellent. Pear is one fruit I've yet to see paired pork, I bet it's delicious.
Pam says
Yum. This looks wonderful. I am sure pear and pork are a great combination.
Peter M says
Pam, fab looking meal and pork with pears and parsnips...you've got the plate alliterating!
Lea Ann says
Very good idea, I'm going to start that category too.
This dish looks wonderful. I'll definitely be giving this a try.
Great photo!
Betsy from Tennessee says
Hi Pam, It is always hard for me to find things in my archives on my blog. Wish Blogger had some contents or an index. I do use Labels ---but even that sometimes is hard when I am searching for something specific.
You have so many wonderful recipes.. Having them in a Top Recipe label will be nice... Thanks!!!!
Your pork recipe sounds wonderful!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
Kim says
Waking up at 5:30 and thinking of food sounds familiar to me! This definitely sounds like it would be fantastic. Great idea to make a top recipe folder. I might just steal that idea:D
noble pig says
So yummy and with parsnips, which are a TOP for me!!
buffalodick says
I had parsnip in Pierogies once, and I thought someone was playing a joke on me!
5 Star Foodie says
I love your pairing of pork with caramelized pear and parsnip - super delicious!
George Gaston says
Pam, this looks so good. I have not fixed pork chops for so time, but I am going to get a few and try your recipe. Many thanks...
Marjie says
The pairing of pork and fruit is always a good. This looks really good!
Amy says
What timing! I was doing up my weekly shopping list last night and couldn't decide what to do with the frozen pork loin chops I have. Truly. I love apples with pork - the parsnips make it over the top. Perfect.
Spuds says
First of all, you're not the only one who lays in bed and thinks about awesome food! Secondly, I am going to make this tonight, but... can I leave the pear halves cut into quarters? Or will they be too mushy? Thoughts??? I just worry that if I chop them up too much small the picky eater kids won't be able to scoot them off to the side and the meat won't get eaten.
Natashya KitchenPuppies says
That does look delicious. I love parsnips but I always forget about them. Great pairing with the pork and pear. And I love the alliteration.. 🙂
A Year on the Grill says
It was freightening the first time I had a foodie dream. Now it's pretty common.
These look great, love the caramelized pears
Mimi says
Looks delicious, I love parsnips, but don't cook with them enough.
Mimi
merrilymarylee says
Never in a hundred years would I have thought of this combination.
You certainly make it sound yummy! Therefore, it must disguise the taste of parsnips. 🙂 I'm not a fan. Of parsnips, I mean. Of you, I AM a fan. 🙂
hip chick says
have you heard of springpad.com? you can save recipes from anywhere there. You can even type them in yourself or search them out from somewhere on the web. It's pretty cool. I hope you don't mind that I link this post over to my blog. I keep track of recipes I want to try that way. I use spring pad also...but I forget I have it sometimes.