Stuffed Pork Chops With Pomegranate-Maple Glaze - Ace Bakery

Submitted by Chef #573036

"Homey pork chops become sophisticated with the addition of dried porcini mushrooms and the combination of maple syrup and pomegranate molasses. Your butcher can cut the pockets in the meat that will be stuffed with the mushroom mixture. Make sure he starts from the bone and cuts outward from there. I have put instructions in the method section of the recipe, if you wish to do it yourself. If you want to be fancy, ask your butcher to leave a longer bone on each chop and French it."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 6 rib pork loin chops, 1 1/2-inch thick
• 73.94 ml maple syrup
• 44.37 ml pomegranate molasses
• 28.34 g dried porcini mushroom, soaked in hot water for a half hour
• 22.18 ml canola oil, and extra for sauteing the chops
• 44.37 ml minced shallots
• 14.79 ml minced fresh sage
• 11.09 ml minced fresh thyme
• 177.44 ml fresh fine breadcrumbs
• 1.23 ml kosher salt
• 1 large pinch fresh ground black pepper
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste, for the chops

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190°C).
2. Cut a large horizontal pocket into each chop, running a very sharp knife along the top of the bone and as far as possible into and across the flesh of the chop. Don’t cut all the way through the meat.
3. Mix the maple syrup and the pomegranate molasses in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Drain the mushrooms, pat dry and mince. Pour the oil into a nonstick frying pan. Add the shallots, and sauté on medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the shallots are soft but not coloured.
5. Add the mushrooms to the onions and continue sautéing for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sage, thyme, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for one minute and let cool.
6. Spoon the stuffing into the pockets of the 6 room-temperature chops.
7. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the chops and sauté in a little canola oil over medium-high for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
8. Brush both sides of each chop with the glaze. Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, brushing every 5 minutes with the glaze. Boil down any remaining glaze until it is reduced to 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL). Remove the chops from the oven, and give them a final brush with the thickened glaze. Let the chops sit for 10 minutes to finish the cooking cycle. Drizzle with a little of the hot pan juices before serving.
9. Cook’s Tip.
10. Pomegranate molasses is available in gourmet and Middle Eastern grocery stores and in some large grocery chains. Undiluted pomegranate juice concentrate can be substituted for the molasses. Pomegranate juice is not concentrated enough to produce the intense flavour this dish needs.