Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients: 

• 6 center-cut pork chops, about 1-1/2 inches thick
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped Savoie's Tasso
• 5 Tbsp olive oil, in all
• 2 slices of bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper and Cajun Chef Cayenne Pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Italian-style bread crumbs 

Steps: 

Cut a pocket in each chop. In a skillet, sauté the onions, celery and tasso in three Tbsp of the oil for about 5 minutes, or until soft. In another skillet, heat the remaining two Tbsp of oil and fry the bread cubes. Remove them from the skillet and pat dry with paper towels. Put them in a bowl. Add the beat broth to the onions and tasso mixture and season with salt, black pepper and cayenne. Stir the mixture together and pour it over the croutons in the bowl. Toss to mix. Divide the stuffing into six portions and stuff into the pockets of the pork chops. Dip the chops in the beaten egg, and then dredge them in the bread crumbs, pressing in the crumbs with your fingers. Place the chops in a lightly oiled shallow baking pan and cover them lightly with foil. Bake at 350 F for about one and half hours. Or, deep fry the chops. Serves 6.