Recipe by Kevin McCullough

Pairing with Navarro 2003 Pinot Noir, Méthode à L'Ancienne

Harvest time calls for hearty meals and a fire in the hearth. We work long days and nothing seems to satisfy like a meal which packs a powerful punch of savory flavors, an evening reward for our labor. Pinot Noir has always been a favorite fall wine which blends extremely well with mushrooms. This dish melds 3 favorites together: mushrooms, Gruyère cheese and Niman Ranch pork.

• 4 thick cut pork chops, preferably bone in and frenched
• 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 1.5 cups lightly sautéed mushrooms
• 1 cup carnaroli rice or risotto, cooked
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium shallot
• 1.5 cups breadcrumbs, preferably fresh
• 1/4 cup diagonally sliced scallions
• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp champagne vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 Tbsp. grapeseed Oil
• 2 Tbsp. canola Oil

For this recipe it is important to have the right cut of meat. The thin cut supermarket pork chop is not exactly the right meat for the recipe. It is much better to have a butcher give you thicker cuts, preferably with the bone in. Prepare the meat for stuffing by using a paring knife to make a small 1 inch insertion point and then carefully hollow out the pork chop so that it can be stuffed full of the filling. A sharp paring knife gives the best results, as larger knives introduce the risk of inadvertently cutting a hole in the other side of the chop.

For the filling, combine the Gruyère, mushrooms, and rice in a mixing bowl. Food process the garlic and shallot by pulsing several times and stir in with the champagne vinegar. Mix thoroughly and stuff the pork chop with the filling until it is bulging.

In a shallow glass pie pan or baking dish, beat the egg and mix in the milk until thoroughly mixed. On a plate, sprinkle out the flour. Starting with the flour, dip the pork chop, one side only, then move to the egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumbs. Heat the grapeseed and canola oils in a skillet large enough for the chops. Brown the breaded side until golden, then brown the non breaded side over medium heat. Finish the chops by baking in a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until the filling starts to ooze melted Gruyère.

To garnish, mix chopped parsley, chopped green onion, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Top each chop with a bit of the mixture and serve hot.

Serves 4.