I cook for two, but you can easily double this recipe for more.
Pork Chops with White Chocolate Potato Crust and Merlot Mushrooms
Ingredients
--Chops
2 Pork Loin Chops
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2-3 cups seasoned Bread Crumbs
--Potatoes
1 bar (4 oz) White Chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup milk
4 medium potatoes, skinned and chopped
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Fresh Mint, minced (optional)
--Mushrooms
4 oz sliced Mushrooms (fresh)
2/3 cup Merlot wine
Butter
Procedure
In a large pot, boil potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking pan. In a bowl, comb egg and milk then whisk well. Dip the chops into the egg and milk, then dredge through the bread crumbs until nicely coated. Put coated chops on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then turn and bake another 10 minutes. Internal temp should be 155-160 at this point.
While chops are baking, add the chopped chocolate to the potatoes (add mint as well if you’re using it). Mash and Stir the potatoes to incorporate and melt the chocolate. Once it has all melted, begin adding milk as you stir. Keep adding milk and stirring until you achieve a smooth but stiff consistency. Now, add plenty of cracked black pepper, stir well, cover and set aside.
Once chops have baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and turn on the broiler. Apply a layer (1/4”) of the chocolate potatoes to each chop. Sprinkle liberally with cracked black pepper. Use a fork to fluff and make swirls and spikes in the potatoes. Place under the broiler until the potatoes are just browning and the spikes are darkening.
While the chops are under the broiler, sauté the mushrooms in butter or Olive Oil until tender and they have released their moisture. Turn heat to high, then add the Merlot Wine. Cook, stirring often to reduce the wine. Once the wine has reduced by 2/3, remove from heat.
On a plate, ladle out some of the wine, Place the potato crusted chop in the wine, the add mushrooms to the plate. Sprinkle on fresh chives if desired and serve.
Notes
You use the white chocolate here instead of butter. It makes the potatoes very creamy, but a bit sweet. The black pepper adds a little bite and off-sets the sweetness a bit. You may want to salt these at the table to suit your tastes.
I really like the Merlot Mushrooms with this as they marry well with the sweetness of the potatoes making each bite of pork a real treat. In fact, the Merlot Mushrooms adding their savory touch to this is a key element to the dish. Note that in the last shot below the Merlot wine gives the meat that color – it is fully cooked!
Pictures
The chocolate.
Add the Chocolate to the potatoes and mash well. Then add your milk to achieve the desired texture.
Sauté your Mushrooms in butter, then add your Merlot Wine.
Here it is plated.
With each bite, it’s nice to dip the meat in the Merlot sauce. Very tasty, and gives it nice color.
Pork Chops with White Chocolate Potato Crust and Merlot Mushrooms
Ingredients
--Chops
2 Pork Loin Chops
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2-3 cups seasoned Bread Crumbs
--Potatoes
1 bar (4 oz) White Chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup milk
4 medium potatoes, skinned and chopped
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Fresh Mint, minced (optional)
--Mushrooms
4 oz sliced Mushrooms (fresh)
2/3 cup Merlot wine
Butter
Procedure
In a large pot, boil potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking pan. In a bowl, comb egg and milk then whisk well. Dip the chops into the egg and milk, then dredge through the bread crumbs until nicely coated. Put coated chops on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then turn and bake another 10 minutes. Internal temp should be 155-160 at this point.
While chops are baking, add the chopped chocolate to the potatoes (add mint as well if you’re using it). Mash and Stir the potatoes to incorporate and melt the chocolate. Once it has all melted, begin adding milk as you stir. Keep adding milk and stirring until you achieve a smooth but stiff consistency. Now, add plenty of cracked black pepper, stir well, cover and set aside.
Once chops have baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and turn on the broiler. Apply a layer (1/4”) of the chocolate potatoes to each chop. Sprinkle liberally with cracked black pepper. Use a fork to fluff and make swirls and spikes in the potatoes. Place under the broiler until the potatoes are just browning and the spikes are darkening.
While the chops are under the broiler, sauté the mushrooms in butter or Olive Oil until tender and they have released their moisture. Turn heat to high, then add the Merlot Wine. Cook, stirring often to reduce the wine. Once the wine has reduced by 2/3, remove from heat.
On a plate, ladle out some of the wine, Place the potato crusted chop in the wine, the add mushrooms to the plate. Sprinkle on fresh chives if desired and serve.
Notes
You use the white chocolate here instead of butter. It makes the potatoes very creamy, but a bit sweet. The black pepper adds a little bite and off-sets the sweetness a bit. You may want to salt these at the table to suit your tastes.
I really like the Merlot Mushrooms with this as they marry well with the sweetness of the potatoes making each bite of pork a real treat. In fact, the Merlot Mushrooms adding their savory touch to this is a key element to the dish. Note that in the last shot below the Merlot wine gives the meat that color – it is fully cooked!
Pictures
The chocolate.
Add the Chocolate to the potatoes and mash well. Then add your milk to achieve the desired texture.
Sauté your Mushrooms in butter, then add your Merlot Wine.
Here it is plated.
With each bite, it’s nice to dip the meat in the Merlot sauce. Very tasty, and gives it nice color.