Recipe

Pork Chops Stuffed With Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

Six (one-and one-half-inch thick pork chops), trimmed of visible fat, with pockets slit for the dressing
One and one-half cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
One-half teaspoon salt
One-half teaspoon baking soda
One-half cup all-purpose flour
One and one-half cup stone-ground cornmeal
One and one-fourth cup vegetable oil
1 (8-ounce bag) herb stuffing mix
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onions
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 or 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
To make the cornbread, combine the buttermilk, 2 eggs, salt, and the baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Stir in the flour and cornmeal. Add the oil and mix to blend. Pour the mixture into an oiled and heated 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl.
Add the herb stuffing mix, onions, celery, and the remaining egg. Add the broth in small amounts until the mixture is bound together. It should not be too moist. Season with generous amounts of salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stuff as much of the cornbread dressing as possible into the pockets of the chops. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet and brown each chop on both sides. Transfer the chops to a large, ovenproof baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Before serving, deglaze the baking pan with a mixture of chicken broth and red wine. Spoon this sauce over the pork chops before serving.