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Creamed Pork Chops Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms

Source of Recipe

From "Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Creamed pork chops can really make a very elegant dish, and when they're stuffed with earthy wild mushrooms, the overall flavor is rich and phenomenal. With easy access now to an array of fresh woodsy mushrooms, Southern cooks are not only using the aromatic fungi like never before in soups and stews but also learning that the highly pungent dried variety of some species (ceps, morels, shiitakes) is actually preferable for stuffings (not to mention less expensive). Another major advantage to using dried wild mushrooms is that the bosky liquid in which they've been soaked makes the perfect base for braising. (Stored in an airtight jar, dried wild mushrooms keep almost indefinitely.)

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ ounce dried cep or morel mushrooms
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
â—¦ 1 medium onion, finely chopped
â—¦ 1 small celery rib, finely chopped
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
â—¦ 1 cup dry bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ 6 pork loin chops, about 1 ½ inches thick
â—¦ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 2 cups heavy cream


Recipe

In a small bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1 cup of warm water about one hour. Rinse well, pat dry with paper towels, and chop finely. Strain the soaking liquid through cheesecloth into a bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over low heat, add the mushrooms, and stir till very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, add the onion, celery, garlic, and sage, and continue stirring for about 5 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, and salt and pepper, mix well, and remove from the heat.

With a sharp paring knife, cut a deep pocket in the fat side of each pork chop, stuff each with equal amounts of the mushroom mixture, and secure the edges with small metal skewers or heavy toothpicks.

In another large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat, add the chops, and brown on both sides. Add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the chops are tender, about 1 hour.

Transfer the chops to a hot platter, skim fat from the skillet, add the cream, increase the heat to moderate, and cook down, stirring, till slightly thick. Pour the sauce over the chops and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings