When I posted my menu of the week to Instagram I had several followers comment on how excited they were to see how to make this dinner. I filmed a "story" in Insta and saved it to my profile if you want to go back and see what I did.
As fancy as this dinner sounds, and as impressive as it tastes, this Pecan Stuffed Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Mash is incredibly simple to make. I would never lead you astray when it comes to cooking simple food on a weeknight. I work full time and still have a desire to delight the taste buds of my family - the compromise for me is that I have to seek out recipes with a wow factor that do not take longer than an hour to make. A bonus for this recipe is that I was able to feed four adults and two kids for under $20. For big families or dinner guests, this dinner plan is light on the wallet. P.P.S. This is a one pan meal - score!
4 boneless pork chop, about one inch thick, weighing 6-8 ounces each
Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese (we will use half of the package, and you can snack on the other half with some crackers or reserve for another use. This cheese can be melted into a lovely sauce for pasta and leftover chicken, it is extremely versatile.)
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds of sweet potatoes (this is likely just ONE large sweet potato)
1.5 cups water
1/4 cup heavy cream
Toothpicks to secure the pork closed
Toast the pecans before you chop them into smaller pieces. Heat nuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until they're golden brown and they give off a rich, toasty fragrance. This happens fast so try not to get distracted. Stir or toss the pecans frequently for even toasting. Remove from pan to cool and then chop them into very small pieces.
Mash Boursin and pecans together in a bowl. Cut a 2-inch opening in one side of each chop to create a pocket and spoon the cheese mixture inside each chop and then seal pockets with toothpicks. Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add chops and cook until well browned on first side, about 6 minutes. Flip chops, cover, and cook until meat registers 140 degrees, about 6 minutes. Transfer chops to a plate, discard toothpicks, and tent with aluminum foil.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the sweet potato and chop into small 1 inch or 1/2 inch pieces. In the same now-empty skillet, combine the potatoes, water, cream, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. These ingredients, combined with the drippings from the pork chops are going to flavor the sweet potatoes so well! Cover and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook 2 minutes longer. Mash with potato masher until smooth. Serve potatoes with chops, sprinkled with additional pecans.