Ingredients
4 thick-cut boneless pork chops, center-cut (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup rioja or other dry red wine (about 1/4 of a bottle)
1/2 cup black cherry preserves or all fruit spread
2 cups beef stock, divided
1/2 pound linguica sausage or chorizo, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 corn muffins, crumbled
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (eyeball it in your palm)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (4-5 sprigs), chopped
A handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons EVOO to the pan, about two turns around the pan. Add the chops and caramelize the meat, two minutes on each side.
Transfer meat to a sheet pan and place in the oven to finish cooking through, about 12-15 minutes.
Return pan to stove, reduce heat a bit and add butter to the skillet. Add flour to butter and cook for one minute. Whisk wine into pan and reduce one minute, then whisk in preserves and one cup of stock. Season with salt and coarse black pepper and let gravy thicken over low heat.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with one tablespoon EVOO, about one turn of the pan. When EVOO smokes, add linguica or chorizo and brown, two minutes. Add the celery, onions, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook five minutes, then crumble muffins into the skillet and combine with vegetables. Dampen the stuffing with remaining one cup of stock and season with smoked paprika and thyme. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
Remove meat from oven and whisk the drippings into your gravy. Pile stuffing on plates, chops alongside and ladle gravy over both. Scatter parsley over meat and stuffing.
