Peel, core and dice two or three pears; peel and slice two shallots; finely chop a garlic clove or two; dice a couple of rashers of bacon; trim the stem end off a load of Brussels sprouts and halve them (as many as you have/like). Put all of the above into a baking tray, season with salt and pepper, add a few pieces of mace and some mustard, and mix well. Pour over a bottle of perry (pear cider), about a cup and a half of chicken stock (optional, but worth it), and top with pork chops.
Cover with baking paper, sit another tray on the baking paper to hold it in place, and bake in 120C oven for a few hours, turning the chops occasionally. Remove the baking paper, turn the heat up to about 180c, and cook for an additional half hour, turning the chops halfway, to brown the meat. (This is a good point to prep the potatoes for mashing – see serving] Remove the meat (keep warm), turn the oven up again to as high as it will go (220C+), and continue to cook, stirring periodically, to get some charred bits on the sprouts.
Mound a little mashed potato, arrange some of the braised sprouts on top, then pork chops, then drizzle over some of the cooking broth. Serve with a little extra mustard.
