I had some frozen pork that was coming close to extinction, and I wanted to make something fancy (that didn't include chicken or ground beef) for Sunday dinner. I pulled everything out of the fridge and pantry that I thought paired well with pork, and used just about all of it. I felt like I was on Iron Chef or Chopped. Sometimes (okay, usually) when I do this it is a miss. This time it was a hit.
2 boneless pork chops-about an inch thick
olive oil
salt & pepper
For the stuffing, mix together:
a handful of dried cranberries-chopped into smaller bits
a handful of sliced almonds-chopped (any nut would probably work)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
a dash of allspice
a dash of cinnamon
For the glaze, mix together:
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (one medium-sized orange)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stuff the chops by butterflying them, but leaving one side attached. Fill each chop with half of the stuffing and close. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper
Heat the oil in an oven-safe pan on med-high heat. Sear each side of the chops in the hot oil for about 2 minutes or until golden.
Remove from heat and add glaze to pan. Finish cooking in oven for 10-15 minutes.
Place chops aside so they can rest. Use a strainer to remove bits from the glaze. Return the smooth glaze to the same pan, and cook on med-high until reduced. Serve chops with a spoonful of sauce on top.
