Pork chops with sage, honey and apricots

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.

2. Place the pork chops on a board and season both sides with salt and pepper. On one side of each chop, press a couple of sage leaves into the meat.

3. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and add a generous dash of olive oil. Place the pork chops, sage side down, into the pan, then reduce to a medium heat and cook for a couple of minutes on each side.

4. Transfer the chops to a small baking tray and pop in the oven for 6-8 minutes, until cooked through. Keep your frying pan to one side to make the honeyed apricots.

5. Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Hold the asparagus at each end and bend in half so that you snap the woody ends off. Place on the searing hot griddle pan for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes, until charred but stil with a bite.

6. Meanwhile, take the pork out of the oven then carefully cut along the edge of the chops, taking off a thin layer of fat to make crackling. Place the fat back in the baking tray and place another baking tray on top to flatten it. Pop back in the oven for around 7-8 minutes to crisp up.

7. Place the apricots into the pan that you fried the chops in. Roughly chop the remaining sage leaves and add to the pan with the vinegar and honey. Stir and cook for a few minutes on a low heat until you have a nice sticky sauce.

8. Take the crackling out of the oven. Put the asparagus in a bowl with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toss together.

9. Serve the pork chops and asparagus with a spoonful of apricot sauce and some crackling. Serve with mashed potatoes or Irish champ (see recipe).

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