Stuffed Pork Chops

The aroma of this dish will remind you of childhood trips to your grandparents for Sunday supper. If you don’t have rye bread for the stuffing, use whole wheat.

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

1⁄2 teaspoon caraway seeds

pinch dried thyme

2 slices rye bread, toasted and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons plus 1⁄2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

4 pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (8 ounces each)

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• In 10-inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add apple, caraway seeds, and thyme and cook 3 minutes longer. Transfer apple mixture to medium bowl. Wipe skillet clean.
• Stir bread pieces, 2 tablespoons broth, and mustard into apple mixture. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Holding knife parallel to surface, cut a horizontal pocket in each chop. Stuff apple mixture into pocket of each chop and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot. Cook chops until they just lose their pink color throughout, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chops to warm platter.
• Increase heat to high. Add remaining 1⁄2 cup broth to skillet and heat to boiling, stirring to loosen brown bits from bottom of pan. Boil broth until reduced to 1⁄4 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour sauce over chops.

Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes