Oatmeal Breaded Pork Chops Stuffed with Canadian bacon and Goat Cheese with Grapefruit Reduction

Olive oil

1 medium onion

10-12 slices Rose Packing Co. Canadian bacon

1 cup baby spinach

2 ounces fresh goat cheese

Salt and pepper

1 cup Quaker Oats Old-Fashioned Oats

½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2 double thick cut pork chops, bone in or boneless

2 eggs

½ pound fresh green beans

½ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

Set a pan over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Finely dice onion and add to pan. Add salt and pepper. Saute onions until they begin to caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes. Dice Canadian bacon, and add to onion. Since bacon is already cooked, saute for only 1 to 2 additional minutes. Take half of onion-bacon mixture and spoon into bowl, put aside. Rough chop the baby spinach, return pan to heat and add spinach. Cook about 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Pour mixture into another bowl, and add the goat cheese. The cheese will melt in the hot mixture, but stir the mix to incorporate everything. Set mixture aside to cool.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, add whole oats and pulse until semi-fine. Add bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate ingredients. Pour oatmeal mixture onto flat plate. Beat the eggs until frothy and pour onto a second plate.

Take a paring knife, laying the chop horizontal and insert into the rounded portion of the chop until the knife hits the bone. Make a deep pocket to hold the onion-cheese-spinach stuffing. With a small spoon or your hands, take stuffing mixture and insert into the pocket. Be careful to not overstuff, but put a toothpick diagonal along the opening to close if desired. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place chops on plate with egg wash and coat entire chop. Then place each chop into oatmeal mixture. Cover entire chop with mixture.

Place a large pan at medium-high and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Shake off excess oatmeal off chops and place each chop in pan and saute each side about 2 to 3 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Place chops on oven pan covered with foil and cook for 25-30 minutes.

While chops are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add pinch of salt. Add the green beans and boil for 3 minutes. Drain beans from pot, and pour into serving bowl. While beans are hot, add the bowl of reserved Canadian bacon and onion and stir to incorporate.

In a small saucepan, add grapefruit juice, balsamic vinegar and honey and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half or until thickens to syrup consistency.

Place cooked pork chop on plate (remove toothpick) and put a spoonful of green beans on side. Drizzle grapefruit reduction around pork chop and serve.

Serves two.

Michael Lalagos