by Galen
Please note that this recipe requires a blender.
To make this meal stress free on date night, this recipe has been done in a logical order with the end result being a complete, beautiful meal.
Lightly salt the pork chops and allow them to sit out at room temperature for one hour.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. After the hour, take a sharp paring knife and carefully make a slit in the side of each chop, creating a pocket about 2.5 inches square. Be sure to keep the pocket centered in the pork chop. Lastly rub the chops down with flour on the outside. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, toss the chopped parsnips with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil along with the thyme, parsley, and garlic. Add some black pepper and then spread the mixture over a baking sheet. Place on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 20 minutes or until they start to brown.
Mix blue cheese and cherry spread in a small bowl. Add the spinach and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add the grated apple, and mix together well. Salt generously. Using your hands, pack the mixture into the pork chops tightly. It’s alright if some of the mixture hangs out.
In a large stainless steel skillet, put 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat. To check the temperature of the oil, you can wet your hand and flick water off of it into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil-butter mixture is hot enough to sear a pork-chop. Place the stuffed pork chops in the pan. Allow them to sit three minutes. When the bottom begins to brown, use a fork to move the pork chops around the pan slowly. This helps intensify the sear. Keep them moving. After about 5 minutes of this, flip them over and repeat the sear process of letting them sit and then moving them. Remove them and place them on a baking sheet in the oven and bake them until well done (about 25 minute).
Remove parsnip from the oven and let them cool for five minutes. Put them in a blender with the milk and cream and blend till smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Puree a little more. The longer you puree the parsnips, the thicker and creamier they will become. You should be able to stand a fork in them.
Heat the pork chop skillet in medium heat again and add the tbsp of butter only if there’s no pork drippings in the pan. When hot, add the asparagus and turn them frequently. Add in the lemon zest along with salt and pepper. After 5 minutes, add the truffle oil and stir frequently. Once tender, remove from pan and serve immediately.
To plate this meal, I recommend putting a generous helping off the parsnips in the center of the plate. On top of that i would place the pork chops. Place the asparagus on the side.
** A NOTE ON BLANCHING SPINACH: To blanch spinach, simple take two cups of fresh spinach a place in a large pot of salted, rolling-boil water. Cook about two minutes and then drain. press liquid out of the spinach between paper towels. Then chop finely. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.