Esta “Costeleta de Porco Recheada” é uma forma criativa e deliciosa de transformar uma simples costeleta numa refeição surpreendente e cheia de sabor. O recheio de espinafres e queijo fresco confere-lhe uma cremosidade e uma humidade que contrastam na perfeição com o exterior panado e estaladiço. É um prato robusto e reconfortante, ideal para uma refeição de família ou para um jantar especial.

Ingredientes

  • 4 costeletas de porco grossas
  • Sal q.b.
  • 4 dentes de alho esmagados
  • 1 folha de louro
  • 20 grãos de pimenta preta
  • Vinho branco seco q.b. (para marinar)
  • 1 molho de espinafres
  • 2 queijos frescos
  • Farinha para panar
  • Ovo batido
  • Pão ralado
  • Óleo para fritar
  • Poejo fresco q.b. (para decorar)
  • Arroz maluco (para acompanhar)

Preparação

  1. Comprei 4 costeletas de porco grossas e, com uma faca afiada, cortei-as ao meio, deixando as duas partes presas pelo lado do osso.
  2. Temperei com sal, os alhos esmagados, o louro, os grãos de pimenta e vinho branco. Deixei a marinar de um dia para o outro.
  3. Cozi os espinafres em água e sal, escorri bem e distribuí pelas costeletas.
  4. Cortei os queijos frescos e coloquei-os por cima dos espinafres. Fechei as costeletas com palitos.
  5. Passei as costeletas por farinha, depois por ovo batido e por fim por pão ralado. Fritei em óleo bem quente e escorri sobre papel absorvente.
  6. Decorei com folhas de poejo e servi com arroz maluco.

From our kitchen to yours, here’s a recipe that’s sure to impress, freshly translated for you.

Stuffed Pork Chops

This recipe for Stuffed Pork Chops (Costeleta de Porco Recheada) is a brilliant take on a classic, turning a simple pork chop into a flavour-packed and satisfying meal. The magic lies in the stuffing: a creamy blend of fresh cheese and tender spinach, encased within a thick, juicy pork chop that is then breaded and fried to golden perfection. It’s a dish that offers a wonderful contrast of textures – a crisp, crunchy exterior giving way to moist, tender meat and a luscious, savoury filling.

The technique of creating a pocket in a thick pork chop and filling it is a fantastic way to add moisture and flavour from the inside out. The marinade of white wine, garlic, and bay leaf is crucial, as it tenderises the meat and infuses it with a subtle aromatic depth. The choice of queijo fresco, a mild and soft Portuguese fresh cheese similar to a firm ricotta or farmer’s cheese, provides a creamy texture without overpowering the other flavours. If you can’t find it, a good quality firm ricotta would be a suitable substitute.

This dish is a testament to hearty, comforting Portuguese home cooking. It’s traditionally served with “arroz maluco” (crazy rice), a flavourful rice dish often made with a mix of vegetables and sometimes chorizo or other meats, but it would be equally delicious with simple mashed potatoes or a fresh green salad. The garnish of poejo (pennyroyal) adds a final, fragrant, minty touch that is quintessentially Portuguese.

Ingredients

  • 4 thick-cut pork chops
  • Salt, to taste
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 20 black peppercorns
  • Dry white wine, for marinating
  • 1 bunch of spinach
  • 2 fresh cheeses (*queijo fresco*)
  • Plain flour, for coating
  • Beaten egg, for coating
  • Breadcrumbs, for coating
  • Oil, for frying
  • Fresh pennyroyal (*poejo*), for garnish
  • “Crazy rice” (*arroz maluco*), to serve

Preparation

  1. Take 4 thick pork chops and, using a sharp knife, carefully slice them open to create a pocket, leaving the two halves attached at the bone.
  2. Season the chops with salt, the crushed garlic, the bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough white wine to cover. Allow them to marinate, ideally overnight.
  3. Cook the spinach in salted water, drain it very well, and distribute it evenly inside the pockets of the marinated pork chops.
  4. Slice the fresh cheeses and place them on top of the spinach. Secure the opening of each chop with cocktail sticks to keep the filling inside.
  5. Dredge the stuffed chops first in flour, then dip them in beaten egg, and finally coat them thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
  6. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper.
  7. Garnish with fresh pennyroyal leaves and serve immediately with “crazy rice”.