Pork Chops with Andouille-Pecan Stuffing

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Servings:
6

Andouille is a spicy smoked pork sausage originally from France; it's a staple in Cajun cooking. Serve this dish with Wilted Mustard Greens and an Individual Macque Choux Pudding.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

  • 1 carrot, finely chopped

  • 4 ounces andouille or other spicy sausage, finely chopped

  • 3 ounces pecans, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons bread crumbs

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

  • 6 one-inch-thick pork rib chops

Directions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrot, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the pecans, bread crumbs, thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper, and cayenne; set aside to cool.

  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a sharp paring knife, make a horizontal incision along side of each chop; cut a deep, wide pocket in the chop. Fill the pork chops with stuffing; gently press pork chops to pack and secure stuffing.

  3. Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Saute the pork chops, in batches if necessary, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a roasting pan large enough to hold all of them; bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

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