I have to confess that I absolutely love hazelnuts and cooking with roasted hazelnut oil. So, when I recently found the recipe for "Hazelnut Crusted Pork Chops with Hazelnut Oil" on the web, it wasn't long until I had adapted it to include dehydrated bolete mushrooms that I had previously powdered in a coffee grinder. Truthfully, I like to keep a container of this mushroom powder in my refrigerator at all times - in particular, the powder is a quick flavor enhancer for bland fish and vegetables. As you might expect, the addition of the mushroom powder created another interesting dimension to this very flavorable dish of hazelnut encrusted chops.
Oh, I should also add that I like to brine pork before preparing it in a dish. How do you brine? Combine 1/8 cup salt in 2 cups cold water. Immerse the pork in the solution for 30-60 minutes. Then rinse off the brine solution and dry the pork. True, the brining sometimes seems a little fussy but this extra step pretty much ensures a moister and more flavorful end product.
Brining the pork is essential to the success of this preparation.
Pork Chops with Bolete Powder & Hazelnuts
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dehydrated bolete mushroom powder
1/2 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
Zest of 1/2 navel orange
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons roasted hazelnut oil
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 boneless center-cut or loin pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat and brined
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients except the pork chops in a bowl.
- Press the pork chops into the hazelnut mixture, making sure that they are well coated.
- Place in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
- Remove chops from oven, transfer to a serving plate, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with a side of buttered pasta.