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French Style Meat with Cheese and Tomatoes in the Oven

Juicy, fragrant, melting in the mouth. Simple and fast. French-style meat with cheese and tomatoes in the oven is an interesting and delicious dish that can be made from the simplest products. It is suitable for both a family dinner and a festive feast.

CourseDinner Dishes
CuisineAmerican Cuisine, French Cuisine, Italian Cuisine
KeywordEasy, Medium

Servings	Prep Time
4	10minutes

Cook Time

1hour

Servings	Prep Time
4	10minutes

Cook Time

1hour

Ingredients

200gram Pork
40gram Onion
50gram Tomatoes
100gram Hard cheese
30gram Mayonnaise
20milliliters Olive oil
Ground black pepperto taste
Greeneryto taste
Paprikato taste
Saltto taste

Instructions

How to bake French-style meat with cheese and tomatoes in the oven? Start by gathering all the necessary ingredients. Opt for a fattier cut of pork, such as shoulder blade or neck, for the best flavor. Alternatively, you can use other meats, but be mindful that cooking times may vary. Beef, for instance, will require longer cooking than pork, while chicken or turkey will cook faster. Ensure your tomatoes are ripe, juicy, and firm; overly soft ones can be challenging to slice. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Thoroughly wash the meat under running water and pat it dry using paper towels. If needed, remove any tendons or membranes with a knife. Slice the meat into thin, wide pieces, approximately 1 cm thick, cutting across the grain. Place the meat on a cutting board, covering it with plastic wrap or cling film. This will prevent meat juice from splattering during pounding. Use a kitchen mallet to tenderize each piece on both sides.
Remove the plastic wrap and season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and paprika. You can replace paprika with ready-made pork spices or choose your preferred seasonings. Herbs like Provencal, basil, marjoram, or oregano are excellent options. If time permits, marinate the meat in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to enhance its flavor.
Lightly grease a baking dish with olive or refined sunflower oil. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer.
Peel and thinly slice the onion into half rings. To prevent the onion from causing eye irritation, rinse it and your knife with cold water. You can use white or Yalta onions instead for a sweeter and non-bitter taste. Place the onion rings over the meat.
Wash and dry the tomatoes with paper towels, and remove the stems if necessary. Using a sharp knife, slice the tomatoes into thin rings. Arrange them on top of the onion layer. While fresh vegetables can be replaced with tomato sauce or omitted, including them will enhance the dish’s flavor and juiciness.
Gently brush a layer of mayonnaise over the tomatoes. If you’re not fond of mayonnaise, sour cream makes an excellent alternative.
Grate hard cheese coarsely and generously sprinkle it over the tomato layer. The more cheese you use, the more flavorful it will be. Russian, Edam, or Adyghe cheese varieties work well. Make sure your cheese is of high quality, delicious, and fragrant. Since the cheese should be baked in this dish, it’s best to add it before cooking. However, if you prefer it to melt, add it 15 minutes before the cooking time ends.
Create a thick lattice of mayonnaise over the cheese layer.
Bake the French-style meat for approximately 40-50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. To promote even cooking of the meat and prevent the cheese from burning, cover the baking dish with foil. Remove the foil 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Continue baking until a delightful cheese crust forms. To check if the dish is ready, insert the tip of a knife into the center. If clear juices flow out, it’s done. If the juices are pinkish, cook for an additional 10 minutes. Enjoy your meal!

Recipe Notes

French-style meat pairs wonderfully with boiled potatoes, fluffy stewed rice, or a fresh vegetable salad.

For the best results, consider preparing mayonnaise from scratch as it will be more flavorful and healthier. Additionally, you can use sour cream or natural yogurt as dressings. These can be used separately or mixed with mayonnaise in any proportion to suit your taste, reducing the dish’s calorie content.

Keep in mind that ovens vary, so the temperature and cooking times may differ from those mentioned in the recipe.

When using pre-made spice blends, be sure to check the ingredients on the package. Many spice mixes already contain salt, so be mindful to avoid oversalting the dish.

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