Pork and apples are longtime kitchen allies.
Accent flavor enhancer is a brand of monosodium glutamate. It doesn’t appear to have other ingredients.
The anecdotal adverse reactions to MSG are somewhat overstated. There are certainly some people who seem to have a sensitivity to it–usually, people who are allergic to mushrooms or other foods high in umami–but even then, there are so many variables to consider that it’s difficult to say exactly what caused the reactions. Even my sister, who gets headaches from some MSG-containing things and who can’t eat mushrooms, has tried some seasoning mixes with MSG that didn’t bother her at all.
If you’re sensitive to MSG or you don’t want to take the risk, don’t. But if you’ve only been avoiding it because some people avoid it, don’t do that, either. People have adverse reactions to flour, milk, and eggs, too, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid chocolate cake because other people can’t eat it. I don’t think we’ve figured out all the variables in the MSG equation, yet.
A family recipe provided by Jennifer Kiel of Washington, DC, from her mother-in-law’s collection, started in Kent, Ohio.
Pork With Apple Rings
6 pork chops, cut 1/2 inch thick
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
Salt, pepper, Accent
1 pkg. (6 oz.) yellow rice (saffron)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup seedless raisins
2-1/2 cups boiling water
6 apple rings
Melted butter or margarine
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Trim excess fat from chops. Brown slowly in 2 Tbsp. oil; season with salt, pepper and Accent; set aside. Saute yellow rice, onion and celery for 5 minutes in remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Add raisins and stir to mix thoroughly. Add boiling water and stir. Turn into oblong casserole; top rice with chops; cover tightly.
Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Top pork chops with apple rings brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with nutmeg. Cover; bake 15 minutes longer. If desired, run under broiler to brown apple rings.