I love that these provolone stuffed pork chops have so much flavor and require such a short amount of time to make. Lemon zest, garlic and fennel seeds are a magic combination of flavors and go perfectly with the spicy flavor of provolone cheese.

See Also

Potato and Fennel Gratin

Flatbread Pizza with Fennel Spread and Feta

Fennel and Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 2 thick bone in pork chops
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Zest of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 thin slices provolone cheese

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes

• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 F degrees.

Cut a pocket in each pork chop. To make a pocket, use a paring knife to cut a slit about 2-inches long in the middle of the fat marbled side of the pork chop. The slit should go all the way back to the bone. Set the pork chops aside.

Using the flat side of a knife, mash garlic into a paste.

Finely chop the fennel seeds.

Mix the garlic and fennel seeds with salt, lemon zest, and olive oil.

Rub the chops down completely, inside pocket and out, with the garlic and fennel mixture.

Stuff a slice of provolone cheese inside each pocket, folding if necessary to fit inside. Use toothpicks if necessary to keep the pork chop closed over the cheese.  

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over med-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Sear pork chops on one side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the chops over and cook for another minute, then transfer skillet to oven. Cook until the meat is just done, about 5 minutes longer (internal temperature should read 140 degrees on a thermometer).

Recipe 2014 Jennifer Meier, licensed to About.com, Inc.

All About Provolone

Real, Italian provolone (pronounced pro-voh-LOH-neh) is aged for at least several months (dolce) and up to a year or more (piccante). The longer it's aged, the sharper the flavor becomes. Provolone piccante is often described as tasting spicy and beefy. Often, the provolone sliced at a deli counter won't have nearly as much flavor as the provolone you buy at a serious cheese counter.

Italian provolone is usually shaped into balls, cylinders or gourds.  The cheese is brined (immersed in or rubbed with salt water) to help a natural rind form and then it's lightly coated in wax before shipping. Wheels of provolone are tied with a rope so they can be hung from the ceiling of cheese caves or shops.

Provolone melts really well. It's ideal for hot sandwiches and pasta dishes, gratins, and meat like roasted pork and beef burgers.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds are available whole and ground. I find that the whole seeds have more flavor and are more fragrant. In a recipe such as this one, you can finely chop the seeds with a knife or grind them into a find powder in a coffee grinder.