Apple and Cheese-Crusted Vanilla Pork Chops with Roasted Beet and Cheese Stacks with Chive Oil

Pork

6 bone-in pork chops, 1½ inches thick

6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking

3 tablespoons honey

2½ teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup ricotta cheese, drained

1 cup grated yellow delicious apple, drained on paper towel

½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons garlic chives, minced

1 cup prepared seasoned bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Wilted Beet Greens

6 slices bacon, sliced in ½-inch pieces

12 cups sliced beet greens

⅓ cup water

1 tablespoons chive oil (see below)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

Beet stacks

6 medium beets, washed and trimmed (various colors, preferred)

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup garlic chives

4 ounces soft herbed goat cheese

2 ounces ricotta

½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract

1 tablespoon garlic chives, minced

Salt and pepper

For the beet greens: Wash beet greens and cut into frac12;-inch strips. In large, skillet fry bacon until cooked, but not crisp. Add greens and remaining ingredients. Stir to thoroughly coat greens. Cover pan and cook to desired texture. Remove lid; cook until liquid evaporates. Salt and pepper to taste.For the beet stacks: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap whole beets in tightly in foil. Place on baking sheet and bake 1 hour, or until knife easily pierces largest beet; cool until lukewarm. Using paring knife, carefully remove skin from beets. Slice about frac14;-inch thick and refrigerate. (If using different varieties of beets, do not store together as colors will bleed.)In food processor combine frac14; cup chives and olive oil; process until oil turns green and chives are finely minced. Strain through fine mesh seive (discard solids) and store in a jar. Combine ricotta, goat cheese, vanilla and 1 tablespoon garlic chives. Dry beet slices. Cut slices into shapes, if desired, and layer cheese between beet slices, using 5 beet slices and 4 cheese layers (a toothpick will stabilize the stacks). Garnish with extra chives and chive oil. (These cannot be made too far ahead of time because the beet color will bleed into the cheese.)For the pork: Rinse and thoroughly dry pork chops. Combine 6 tablespoons olive oil, honey and vanilla in a small bowl and rub on pork chops. Place in glass dish or zip lock bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours.Combine ricotta cheese, grated apple, vanilla and chives in small bowl, season with salt and pepper; refrigerate. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Oil, or treat with cooking spray, a 9-by-13-inch glass dish. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet. Remove pork chops from marinade and sear, in batches, about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned (adding more oil as necessary); transfer to prepared pan. Carefully mound about frac14;-inch of cheese mixture atop each chop; and press bread crumbs gently into the cheese. Bake 20 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from oven and serve.To serve: Mound beet greens on six plates; top with pork chops. Add beet stacks and Pumpkin-Apple Puree (recipe at dailyherald.com.entlife/food) to the plate. Serves six. Penny Kazmier

Pumpkin and Apple Puree

<div class="recipeIngredients"><B>10-12 small sugar pumpkins, or two cups pumpkin puree</div>

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 large yellow delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

<div class="recipeDirections"></B>Wash pumpkins. Using sharp knife cut “lids” off pumpkins and scoop out the seeds. Reserve ¼ cup seeds; discard the rest.</div>

Place pumpkins upside down on baking dish with ½ inch water, balance “lids” on the pumpkins, but do not submerge in water. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Pumpkins are done when you can pierce them with a fork; the flesh should still be firm, but not hard. Turn pumpkins right side up, and place dish back in oven for 10 minutes, uncovered, until flesh is soft, but shell still holds its shape. Scoop out flesh, leaving enough to maintain the integrity of the shell, sort of like a twice baked potato.

In the meantime, rinse pumpkin seeds in water and dry on paper towels. Mix seeds with olive oil and place in small baking dish, sprinkle with a little salt and bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside for garnish.

In a medium bowl, combine apples with honey. Place in oiled baking dish and roast uncovered 15 minutes. Combine apples and pan juice with pumpkin in food processor; add cheese, vanilla and puree. Adjust seasoning.

Divide pumpkin/apple puree mixture between six pumpkin shells (discard the other shells or save for another use). At this point you may refrigerate or return to the oven until warm and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with “lid” on the side.

Serves six.

Penny Kazmier