Cranberry Stuffed Pork Chops with Butternut Squash Ravoili

 I came up with this pork chop recipe on the spur of the moment. I felt like trying something different. I had some new grape seed oils from Wildtree and wanted to experiment with the flavors.  And I found some nice thick loin chops that begged to be stuffed. I’m not a fan of bread stuffing so I decided to branch out and try something new. This was the result. One of those "let's see what I have on hand "recipes. lol

The ravioli recipe is an adaptation from the recipe for Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce found in the Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl, published by Houghten Mifflin. This is one of my very favorite cook books. I really didn't change a lot in the recipe, mainly just streamlined it and substituted a few ingredients. 

CRANBERRY STUFFED PORK CHOPS

4 thick cut lean pork loin chops

½ cup onion diced

½ cup green pepper diced

1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped

1 TB Wildtree garlic grape seed oil

1 tsp Wildtree lemon grape seed oil

½  cup burgundy cooking wine, divided

Sauté the onion and peppers in the oils until tender and golden.

Add the cranberries and ¼ cup burgundy cooking wine.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.

Make a pocket by cutting a slit in the chop almost slicing it in half horizontally, but do not completely sever.

Divide the filling between the chops.

Place in an 8x8 baking dish.

Add another ¼ cup burgundy wine and place in oven 400 for 30-45 minutes or until chips are no longer pink. 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI

2 cups cooked, mashed butternut squash

½  cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ tsp ground sage

1 TB butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup grated Parmesan/Romano blend or 3 oz goat cheese

2 pkg. won ton wrappers

½ cup butter

1/3 cup hazelnuts or pine nuts.

To cook squash, cut in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp.

Place cut side down on plate and add ¼ cup water.

Microwave on high about 20 minutes or until tender.

Scoop out the flesh and mash as you would potatoes.

While squash is cooking, sauté the onion, garlic and sage in the butter until onion is tender and golden.

Add the squash to the onions and blend well.

Stir in the cheese.

Take a won ton wrapper and place 1 TB filling in center. Wet edges with water and top with another wrapper. Press edges to seal, making sure to let all air bubbles escape so they don’t pop open while cooking.  Cut off excess with a cookie cutter if you like. Or you may just use one wrapper and fold into triangle.

Set aside on kitchen towel (not terry cloth) to dry slightly.

Be sure to keep the remaining won ton wrapper covered. They dry out quickly.

Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil. Drop ravioli into boiling water in batches and cook about 6 minutes, or until they float to the top and are tender.

Meanwhile, brown the nuts in the butter over medium heat until golden. As ravioli is done, toss with the nuts and butter. Keep covered and warm in the oven, adding the ravioli as it come out of the water.