Mushroom Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

This is officially a recipe I suppose, but it's also a technique that can translate to all kinds of meats and middles. Use your imagination! Stuff chicken with dried apricots or confettied vegetables, or beef with bleu cheese. Pork chops can handle both sweet fruits - like apples - and savory elements - like rosemary and red wine vinegar. Bread or don't bread - as you like. Making a little pocket in a piece of protein and stuffing it with goodies will turn into one of your favorite tricks!

• 4 very thick cut pork loin chops
• 1 cup sauteed mushrooms, or leftover Toasted Mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated very fine
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 Tbl fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbl butter
• additional salt and pepper to taste, freshly cracked pepper is far better

1. Cut a pocket into each pork chop. Season the interior of the pocket of each chop. Divide the Parmesan cheese into 4 equal portions, and put one portion into the pocket of each chop. Repeat with the Toasted Mushrooms.
2. Using a couple of toothpicks for each chop, seal the open edge of each pork chop. This works best with a little zig zag motion.
3. Make a breading station - this just means lay out the elements of the breading so it's easy to use. In one bowl place the flour, and season heavily with salt and pepper. In the second bowl place the two lightly beaten eggs and again, season heavily with salt and pepper. In the third bowl mix together the bread crumbs, fresh parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper.
4. Bread the pork chops by dipping first into the flour and shaking off the excess. Then dip the floured chop into the egg and allow the extra to dip off. Finally dip each chop into the bread crumb mixture, patting each chop well to adhere as much breading as possible.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F.
   
6. In a large skillet with an ovenproof handle, melt the butter over medium heat. Just as the butter melts and turns foamy, add the pork chops. Be patient at this stage. You want each side to turn golden brown, and you may need to turn the chops on their ends or edges to brown them off as well, if the chops are thick enough.
   
7. Once the second side has brown, and the pork chops are golden brown and beautiful all over, slide the pan into the oven to finish cooking. They should need only about 15-20 minutes.
   
8. Pull the pan from the oven and set the chops on a platter. Tent with foil to allow them to rest. It is really important that you give your chops ten minutes under the foil to rest. This redistributes the juices throughout the meat, and allows the carryover cooking to finish.

That's it - that's all there is to it. Serve it with just about anything. Think about the flavors that you are using in the meat - be it pork loins like this example, or chicken or beef or even whole fish - and what would be nice with that flavor profile. This particular recipe is really luscious - and you'll adore it if you try it. But the method is what is important here. It works with so much! Try it...right now. Go.  Cook.