Peek-A-Bleu Porkchops!

Story: This is one of my favorite meals. While I was in Athens for school, I would get my fix of fried pork chops at Wilson's Soul Food. They would fry a bone-in porkchop and serve it with spicy chow chow. Although those ladies over at Wilson's do a great job, I think the addition of moldy cheese (there really is no other way of describing it) makes a regular pork chop into a mean pork chop. I think I was first introduced to these cheesy chops at my sister's house and have been making my chops this way ever since.

Picking your chops are important. Make sure you trim most of the fat off, but be sure to leave a little on for flavor. I usually use the cuts from the tenderloin of the pig. You can buy the loin yourself and cut them (usually into 1-1.5 inch slices) or get them already pre-sliced.

Once you wash and pat dry the cuts, take a sharp knife and make a pocket in the chop. This is made easier with a thicker piece of meat. Be sure to make your cut deep into the piece but not too far where you cut all the way through.

You want to make the incision deep enough so that you can stuff it with cheese and the stuffing won't fall out during cooking (or bacon--yes you can stuff pork with pork, or a garlic paste, or olives).

You want to season the chops with salt and pepper pretty generously since the cuts are thick.

* One word of caution--don't have too heavy of a hand with the seasoning since the cheese adds salt as well.

In another plate, season white flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. You may think it is overkill to season the pork chops AND also season the flour, but it really does make a difference.

Once covered on both sides with the seasoned flour, place the covered chops into a pan with a thin coat of H-O-T vegetable oil. I don't like to use olive oil when frying like this for two reasons---first olive oil doesn't do so well in a hot pan and imparts flavor in the food (usually I don't mind this) and second using vegetable oil makes more cents/sense (bwahaha!). I think that was three reasons.

Fry the chops on each side for 3-4 minutes until they are nice and brown on each side.

After you have fried both sides, take the chops out and put them into a 350F oven for 10 minutes. The chops are thick so you need to put them into an oven for them to cook all the way through.

A picture of the chops with a pocket of bleu cheese inside...peak-a-bleu! For sides, I made white jasmine rice and some sauteed bok choy with garlic and soy sauce.

It's quite a delicious meal and relatively easy to make. You won't regret making it.