This delicious recipe for stuffed pork chops take a bit of extra effort, but it is very well worth it, a gourmet dish I have enjoyed on special occasions for years.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Choose six well-trimmed, center cut boneless loin pork chops about 1 inch thick; cut a slit from the side of each as big as you can make it without cutting all the way through; this creates a deep pocket that will hold the stuffing.  Stuff with the following stuffing:

Stuffing

Combine well in a small bowl and set aside:

1 ½ cups fine, dry bread crumbs

¼ cup heavy cream

Over moderate heat in a skillet melt:

2 Tablespoons of butter.

Add to the melted butter and saute gently until sausage is lightly browned:

¼ cup finely chopped onion

¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic

½ pound well-seasoned sausage meat

Remove contents of the skillet to a sieve to strain off any fat.

Combine this sausage mixture with the set-aside bread crumb mixture, and add:

1/8 teaspoon thyme

3 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley

          Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine.  Then pack this stuffing into the pockets of the pork chops, even letting the chops bulge out.  Fasten the slits closed as best you can with small skewers.

Sprinkle each chop with salt and pepper.

In an oven-proof skillet over high heat,  heat

4 Tablespoons oil

Add the chops and brown them, turning over as needed, until browned, but not burnt (maybe 3 minutes per side)

While the chops are browning, get ready

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup finely chopped carrot

¼ teaspoon thyme 

When chops are browned, set them aside in a platter.  Pour off almost all of the fat in the skillet, return it to low or medium heat, add the chopped onion and carrots and thyme and saute gently about 8 minutes or so.

Add to veggies in skillet

1 Tablespoon flour

1 cup chicken broth

Stir as you bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook till thickened.

Place the browned chops and any liquid accumulated around them into the mixture in the oven-proof skillet.  Cover tightly and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally.

Serve chops with the sauce (strained or not) spooned over them.

Serves well with a baked sweet potato.