MOOSE CHOPS WITH PECAN CORN BREAD DRESSING AND CIDER GRAVY
If you don't happen to have any day-old corn bread on hand, just follow the recipe — fresh regular corn bread may be too moist.
4 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled (1/2-inch pieces) corn bread
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 lb fresh shiitakes, stems discarded and caps coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup pecans (4 oz), coarsely chopped and toasted
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
6 (1-inch-thick) MOOSE CHOPS
2/3 cup unfiltered apple cider
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Lightly toast corn bread in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until dry and pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
Sauté celery, onion, and bell pepper in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in shiitakes and sauté, stirring, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add corn bread, pecans, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper and toss well, then transfer to a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or large baking pan.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, pat dry 3 MOOSE chops and season with salt and pepper. Brown MOOSE chops, turning once, about 6 minutes total, then arrange on corn bread. Brown remaining 3 MOOSE chops in same manner, adding more oil if necessary. Reserve skillet.
Roast MOOSE chops on corn bread in middle of oven until MOOSE is just cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. After MOOSE has roasted 10 minutes, pour off fat from skillet and heat skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Add cider and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, then add remaining cup broth. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to hot cider mixture. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking, 1 minute and season with salt and pepper.
Serve MOOSE chops and dressing with sauce on the side.
Enjoy!
