Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Stuffed Pork Food

PUFF PASTRY TWISTS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll puff pastry into a 12 by 15-inch rectangle. Spread pesto evenly over pastry, to within 1/8-inch of the edges. Fold dough in half lengthwise. Roll dough out again into a 12 by 5-inch rectangle. Sprinkle Parmesan over new rectangle. Cut dough crosswise into 1/2-inch thick strips. Twist each strip into a corkscrew. Arrange twists on a large baking sheet and press down ends to prevent unrolling. Bake 10 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.

SPICY SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions.
• While the pasta cooks, make the pesto. Add the tomatoes, peppers, hazelnuts, vinegar and chili sauce to the carafe of a food processor. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
• Add the cheese, butter, half of the pesto and a ladleful of pasta water to a large bowl. When the pasta is ready, drain and add it directly to the bowl. Stir together, adding more pesto as desired, or more pasta water to reach the desired consistency. Grate more cheese over the pasta and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.
• Extra pesto, placed in an airtight container and topped with a layer of olive oil, will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

PORK CHOPS STUFFED WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.
• Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.