Pork and apples are a perfect pair, and today’s dish, Pork Chops with Sage-Apple Stuffing, is a great example. And the timing couldn’t be better. Apple season is in full swing, and there’s a bumper crop this year.The overall darling variety for the past several years has been the Honeycrisp, which is used in this recipe. These apples are known for their crisp taste, crunchiness and juicy flavor. Many people say that this variety is so juicy, it’s as if you were drinking the sweetest apple cider.Some people wouldn’t dream of cooking with Honeycrisp apples because they are best eaten out of hand.But for this recipe I wanted to capture those sweet Honeycrisp juices to add moisture and flavor to the stuffing and sweetness to the cream sauce. Any sweet and juicy type of apple — such as Gala or Fuji — will work with this recipe. When the apples are sautéed, their juices caramelize quite nicely and become syrupy.The juices blend nicely with these pork chops, which are stuffed, browned and then baked. You can use bone-in or boneless chops, but make sure that whichever you choose, they are thick enough to hold the stuffing. If using boneless chops, be sure to cut only a pocket in the side of the pork and not all the way through.I remember having the standard pork chops and applesauce as a kid. Of course, you needed all that applesauce because the pork was so dry. Most older recipes called for cooking pork until it reached an internal temperature of 170 degrees. By the time the pork reached the recommended temperature, it was so dried out you could barely eat it.It was thought you needed to cook it to death to kill any trichinosis. Nowadays pork is bred differently and is leaner. And any trichinae are killed at 137 degrees.

PORK CHOPS WITH SAGE-APPLE STUFFING—Yield: 4 generous servings

STUFFING1 tablespoon canola oil1/3 cup each diced onion and celery2 cups dried bread cubes (or small croutons)Salt and pepper to taste1/2 cup diced apple1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage leaves or 2 teaspoons rubbed sage1/4 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

PORK4 bone-in pork chops (at least 1-inch-thick)Salt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons canola oil1 tablespoon unsalted butter3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans1 large apple (such as Honeycrisp), peeled and diced1/2 cup fat-free or regular half-and-half mixed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch1-2 tablespoons maple syrup

Procedure:1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.2. For stuffing, heat canola oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion and celery and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove to bowl. Add bread cubes, salt and pepper, apple, raisins if using, and sage. Lightly moisten with the broth, mix thoroughly and set aside.3. For pork, cut a 2-inch-wide slit in the side of each chop, opposite the bone and cutting almost but not all the way through, making a pocket. Evenly divide stuffing mixture and stuff each chop. (Do not overstuff chops, or the stuffing will fall out. You may have some left over that you can serve on the side.) Secure pocket closed with toothpicks, if needed.Season both sides chops with salt and pepper.4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn and brown the other side. Transfer chops to baking dish and cover with foil. Baked about 40 minutes, depending on thickness of chops, or until pork reaches 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and keep covered.5. In same skillet used for chops, melt butter over medium heat. Add pecans and sauté 2 minutes. Add diced apple and sauté until it caramelizes. Reduce heat slightly and slowly whisk in half-and-half and maple syrup.6. To serve, drizzle 2 tablespoons sauce and some of the diced apples and pecans over each pork chop.Source: Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

Nutrition data per serving: 398 calories (57 percent from fat), 25 grams fat (6 grams sat. fat), 25 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams protein, 396 mg sodium, 61 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.

Ron Johnson,sitting on the right, is the President and Chief Executive Officer Central of Bancorp, and Scott Yeoman, is the President Central Bank and Trust. Photo by Carol Lawrence, The Gazette

CAROL LAWRENCE