Mushroom Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

The first step in just about everything I cook is garlic. It really is a magical herb (I think it's an herb, maybe a root?). Just by varying the amount of time you cook it, it can go from a spicy high powered bite, to a savory earthy flavor. I was shooting for a savory flavor this time. I cut up about 4 cloves of garlic and browned them in some butter with a little bit of crushed red peppers.

Once my garlic was browned I cooked 1 package of baby portebella mushrooms (crimini mushrooms) in the butter and garlic. I like the crimini mushrooms because they're usually as cheep as button mushrooms but have more of a dry earth flavor. After your mushrooms are cooked, you can set them aside.

Now put some salt and pepper on your pork loin chops. Pork chops come from several different parts of the pig. The loin chops are the thickest (and tastiest if you ask me) which makes them idea for stuffing. I put some salt and pepper on them.

You need to butterfly them now. Put the fat side down and cut them end-to-end down the middle. They'll fold apart and look like wings.

The last thing I added was some grated Parmesan cheese. Good Parmesan has a bit of a nuttiness to it that goes well with browned garlic and mushrooms.

To stuff the pork chops, I usually dice up the mushrooms first. Then you place the mushrooms in the middle of the open pork chop and fold one side over the other. Now take a couple of tooth picks (or if you have cooking string, you can tie the pork chop closed) and pierce the edge of the pork chop, holding it close.

Bake them at 350F for about 30 - 40 minutes and enjoy.