Saturday is rapidly becoming my favorite day of the week.  Since I now work until 4pm on Saturday, Victor has been cooking dinner.  It’s been a gastronomic pleasure every week!

Last night was stuffed pork chops – with a Victor-twist.

The chops were just under an inch thick – perfect for making an open-faced-stuffed chop!

He sliced them almost all the way through, keeping sides and bottom intact.

The stuffing started with pancetta!  He sauteed it until almost crisp and then added chopped carrots, celery, and onion.  When the vegetables were almost done, he added about 3/4 cup of chicken stock to deglaze the pan.  He let it reduce to almost nothing.

Into the bowl it went with handfuls of bread crumbs and then just enough chicken stock to moisten.  Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste.

Before adding the stuffing to the chops, Victor added a layer of goat cheese into the cavity!  What a flavorful surprise!

They went into a 350° oven for about 25 minutes.

The green beans were sauteed with balsamic vinegar and the potatoes roasted with the pork chops – olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Everything worked together perfectly.  The crispy pancetta with the goat cheese was brilliance.  It was a totally unexpected flavor which made it all the better.

Fun food, indeed.