Pork Chops Stuffed With Pine Nuts And Herbs

Pork Chops Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Herbs are a delicious and flavorful dish that elevates the humble pork chop to a whole new level. The combination of fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts, and tangy pecorino cheese creates a stuffing that adds depth and richness to the succulent pork. To prepare this dish, the pork chops are first slit to create a pocket, which is then filled with a mixture of mint, parsley, tarragon, pecorino, garlic, lemon zest, and chopped pine nuts. The filling is seasoned with salt and pepper and secured with toothpicks to keep it intact during cooking.

The stuffed pork chops are then seared in a skillet until nicely browned on both sides to develop a flavorful crust. They are then transferred to the oven to finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches a safe 145°F. The addition of a piece of butter on top of each chop during roasting adds richness and helps to keep the meat moist. Once cooked, the toothpicks are removed, and the pork chops are ready to be served. The pan juices can be drizzled over the chops to enhance their flavor even further. The result is tender and juicy pork chops with a burst of herbaceousness from the filling, complemented by the nuttiness of the pine nuts and the savory notes of the pecorino.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Herbs make for an impressive and satisfying main course that is perfect for a special occasion or a family dinner. Serve them alongside your favorite sides, such as roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes, for a complete and delightful meal.

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 center-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup fresh tarragon
• 1/4 oz. (1/3 cup) finely grated pecorino romano
• 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
2. With a sharp knife, make a horizontal slit in each pork chop to create a 3 1/2-inch-long pocket.
3. In a food processor, combine the mint, parsley, tarragon, pecorino, 3 Tbs. of the oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the pine nuts and pulse until the nuts are roughly chopped.
4. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup pine nuts and the raisins. Season the insides of the pockets with salt and pepper and stuff with the filling. Secure the pockets with toothpicks. Season the outside of the meat generously with salt and pepper.
5. Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Sear 3 of the pork chops on both sides until well browned, about 6 minutes total; transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the remaining pork chops.
6. Top each chop with a piece of butter and roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork chops registers 145°F, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard the toothpicks and serve drizzled with the pan juice.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

PER SERVING

• 440 CALORIES | 25G PROTEIN | 11G CARB | 33G TOTALFAT | 7G SAT FAT |
  15G MONOFAT | 8G POLY FAT | 65MG CHOL | 230MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER

NOTE:

• A take on traditional pesto, the filling for these pork chops is amped up with sweet raisins and fresh herbs. Roast some potatoes and broccoli to serve with the chops.
• Don’t substitute boneless pork chops for this recipe—the bone-in variety is more flavorful and will make the meat less likely to dry out during cooking.