Back in NYC, every time we had dinner parties, our friends would ask me to make stuffed pork chops, everyone loved them and so do I. So i stick to my recipe that i have been cooking for years , and it seems like every time i make them, they taste better!!!!
And you need to go to a butcher or a supermarket where they will cut you a chop big enough to be stuffed, i like asking for a 2 inch thick bone-in chop, which cooks perfectly.
Ingredients:
2- 2 inch center cut bone-in pork chop
3 slices thick sliced smoked bacon, chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small apple, cubed
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup of chardonnay
1 sprig of rosemary, off the sprig
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
For the cooking pan:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
8-10 cloves of garlic, whole
2 medium potatoes, sliced or quartered
1 tomato, diced
1 cup of chardonnay
1 cup of chicken stock
2 sprigs rosemary, whole
salt and pepper to taste
Make a small cut on the side of the pork chop, insert the knife thru the incision and cut all the way around inside, making sure the outside cut is no more than 2-3 inches. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and let them rest to bring them to room temperature, while cooking the stuffing.
Cook bacon and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until crispy. Add onions and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add apple and celery and cook for another 15 minutes. Add wine and rosemary and cook until all wine is absorbed. Season to taste. Add bread crumbs , stir it well and remove from heat. Let it cool down for 10 minutes before handling it.
With a small spoon, scoop as much stuffing inside each pork chop as you can. Secure opening with a few toothpicks.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan that has a oven proof lid (or you can cover with foil). Brown each pork chop on all sides.
Remove chops from pan and add onions, fry them for a few minutes. Add garlic and layer potatoes on top. Add whole rosemary sprigs, diced tomatoes and place pork chops on top of the veggies.If you have any leftover stuffing just add to the veggies. Pour wine and chicken stock over pork chops. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and fresh pepper to taste. Cover and transfer to hot oven. Baste pork chops every 15 minutes and flip them at 30 minutes. Remove them after being cooked for 1 hour. Remove pork chops and place in serving platter. With slotted spoon remove all veggies and place next to pork chops. Bring cooking liquid to a boil and reduce to about a third. Pour over pork chops and serve.
I like serving them with a simple risotto and a green salad.
