Stuffed Pork Chops

This week our food adventure takes us back to New Orleans via Paul Prudhomme for one of my favorites -- stuffed pork chops.  Nothing beats the sweet and spicy flavors of this dish.

Ingredients:

2 unpeeled medium apples, coarsely chopped             Seasoning Mix:
7 Tbsp. unsalted butter                                                 1 Tbsp. Salt
3 Tbsp light brown sugar                                              1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract                                                      1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg                                                 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
                                                                                      1/2 tsp. white pepper
***************                                                                1/2 tsp. dry mustard
                                                                                      1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
6 (1 1/4-inch-thick) pork chops                                      1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 lb. ground pork                                                        1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 c. chopped onions                                                      1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 c. chopped green bell peppers
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies and their juice
1 c. chicken or pork stock
1/2 c. very fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 c. finely chopped green onions

1.  Process the apples, 4 tablespoons of the butter, the sugar, vanilla and nutmeg in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 3-4 minutes.  Set aside.

2.  In a small bowl or cup, thoroughly mix the ingredients of the seasoning mix.  Set aside.

3.  Prepare pork chops by cutting a large pocket (to the bone) into the larger side of each chop to hold the stuffing.

4.  In a large skillet, brown the ground pork in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter of high heat, about 3 minutes.

5.  Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix.  Stir well.  Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan well.

6.  Stir in green chilies and continue cooking until mixture is well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom fo the pain as needed.

7.  Add the stock and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

8.  Stir in the bread crumbs and cook about 3 minutes.

9.  Add the apple mixture and the green onions.  Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly and scrapping the bottom of the pain as needed.

10.  Remove from heat.

11.  In a large skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

12.  Sprinkle remaining seasoning mix (plus some extra if you want) into some flour on a plate.  Dip pork chops in the flour, inside and out, and fry in heated oil until done.

13.  Place pork chop on plate and scoop a heaping spoonful of stuffing into the middle.  Serve with desired side, and beverage of choice.  We chose a Barefoot Pinot Noir.

Notes:

*  The original recipe calls for you to stuff the pocket full of stuffing and bake at 400 degrees until meat is done (about 1 hour 10 minutes), adding excess stuffing, in a separate small pan, for the last 20 minutes.  We were hungry and wanted our food faster, so we altered the recipe.  I do think this resulted in a juicier pork chop, and it gave it a little bit of crunch it doesn't get in the oven.

* Publix sells pre-butterflied pork chops that are perfect for this dish.  They seem to go on sale pretty often, too.

*  We were unable to locate ground pork, so we substituted with mild Italian sausage.  I think it was a little better.

*  I forgot to pick up the green onions when we went shopping, so we used chives from our herb garden.

*  Seven tablespoons of butter is just one tablespoon shy of the whole stick.  That one tablespoon isn't saving me much in calories considering everything else in the dish, so, we threw it in, too.

*  We don't make 6 pork chops when we make this, but make the full recipe of stuffing.  It freezes well and makes it a lot easier the next time you want to make this dish.  It would probably be good in some chicken as well.

Rating:

Sandy's rating:  5 stars

The first time I read this recipe I crinkled my nose and wondered what idiot would eat apples, vanilla, and nutmeg with onions and garlic!  Then, I tried it.  This is one of my favorite dishes.  I love the sweet and spicy flavors.  It is satisfying food for the soul.  And, this time, we got to serve it with a side of mustard greens picked from our garden that morning.

Tony's rating:  4.5 stars

It would've been a lot better if I hadn't drowned the greens in habanero sauce and destroyed my tastebuds on the first bite.  But, besides that, it was the best it has ever been.  The stuffing was cooked to perfection and the pork chop was crispy and delicious.

Cost:

Pork chops:  $4.11
green bell pepper - 99 cents
onion - 69 cents
green chilies - $1.19
Italian sausage - $3.99
2 gala apples - $2.25
bread crumbs - about $1.50

Everything else was stocked in our kitchen already, making it a fairly cheap dish to make.  And, if you stash some of the stuffing, you have a quick and easy meal next time you need o really wow someone.

Enjoy!