Jerked Pork Chops & Fruited Rice Pilaf

from Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica by Helen Willinsky

4 lean pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
4 teaspoons Dry Jerk Seasoning (see below)
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
1/4 cup sliced scallions (keep white and green parts separate)
1 (17-ounce) can chunky mixed fruit or fruit cocktail
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons lime juice

Sprinkle the chops with the Dry Jerk Seasoning, using approximately 1 teaspoon for all 4 pork chops. Brown on each side in a lightly greased ovenproof skillet. Remove the chops. Add the rice and white part of the scallions. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons jerk seasoning. Cook until golden brown.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Drain the fruit and reserve the syrup. Stir the broth, 3/4 cup of the reserved syrup, and the lime juice into the rice. Place the chops over the rice mixture. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Stir in the fruit and green scallion tops. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Replace the cover and continue baking for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice lightly with a fork and serve.

Dry Jerk Seasoning

1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pimento (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives or green onions

Mix together all the ingredients. Store leftovers in a tightly closed glass jar. It will keep its pungency for over a month.

I've made this quite a few times with a few changes. I don't use fruit cocktail, instead cutting up and adding a fresh apple. I substitute a mixture of white wine and applesauce for the syrup, and usually add a bunch of extra jerk seasoning. You might need to adjust the amount of liquid depending on what kind of rice you use. I generally decrease the amount of liquid but increase the cooking time using various types of Asian rices (calrose, jasmine, etc)

[kristin buxton] [food]