Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Succulent pork chops are smothered in a mushroom sauce flavored with garlic and thyme and on your table in about 30 minutes.

Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

It’s been a while since I shared a pork recipe with you, but I think you’ll agree this one was worth the wait. Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce is versatile dish that would make a wonderful dinner during the week, and—with a few additions—would wow dinner party guests.

October is National Pork Month, which usually means pork producers roll out their yearly statistics and some new recipes. Americans eat a lot of meat, and per capita, consume about 66 pounds annually of pork.

Do I believe all of us could eat less meat and more vegetables and vegetable-based proteins, plus grains? Yes. Are there issues around “Big Ag” in regard to practices and environmental pollution? Yes.

So, my suggestion would be if you choose to eat meat for your meal’s protein—and pork is wonderfully versatile in many recipes—buy from local, smaller producers. Typically, the product will be better, there’ll be less of an imprint on the planet and more of your money goes to a farmer to benefit his/her family.

Visit your farmer’s market to find the best local food producers. I like to buy pork from Geisert Farms and Farrar Out Farm, both of which are located less than two hours from my home.

In addition to intelligently sourced pork, you’ll need these ingredients to make Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce:

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms

• ¼ cup chopped onion

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1 cup cream (at room temperature)

• 2 tablespoons dried thyme

• olive oil

• salt and pepper

Pork chops, button mushrooms and cream are the hero ingredients to Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce.

I bought three bone-in pork chops for this recipe that were about ½-inch thick. Let’s get cooking!

Season the chops with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet on medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil, and when it’s up to temperature, add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Add the chops. Sear for about four minutes on each side; should achieve a golden color.

Get good color on the chops before you transfer them to a plate to finish this one-pan recipe.

Remove the chops and garlic to a plate for now, add another tablespoon of oil, turn pan to a medium heat and add onions and mushrooms. Cook about six minutes until onions are soft and mushrooms are browned.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and coat them well. Slowly stir in broth until well blended. Add thyme. If you don’t have this herb (fresh or dried), chopped rosemary would be nice; even parsley (dried or fresh) could be swapped.

Turn heat to simmer and stir in the cream. When sauce has thickened slightly (it’ll need about ten minutes), add the chops. Cover and cook to warm pork chops.

You might serve these succulent pork chops with whipped potatoes (yes, please) or with white rice. With a vegetable side or a green salad, you have a comforting weeknight dinner for your family.

If you wanted to make this a more impressive dish for a dinner party, add a cup of frozen peas before adding liquid to the pan. Reduce the chicken stock to ¾ cup and add ¼ white wine. Simple, yet elegant.

The pork in this recipe turns out tender and juicy. The creamy sauce is comforting, and the mushrooms and herbs add so much depth to the dish. It reminds me a bit of the traditional Southern recipe of smothered pork chops, but we skip the step of dredging meat in flour and egg. I think Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce is a refined version of Smothered Pork Chops.

Frequently asked questions:

My family won’t eat pork, so what other protein can I use. Chicken breasts would do well in this recipe.

Can I freeze leftovers? Wouldn’t recommend it because of the cream in the recipe. Since the recipe makes three servings, if you’re cooking for one or two people, just reduce number of chops you use. Use 1 to 1⅓ cup of mushrooms and cut the liquid down by ¼ cup.

What mushrooms should be used in this recipe? I used the white "button" mushrooms often found in any grocery store, but a mix would be lovely in this dish. Incidentally, Mushrooms Naturally, an urban farm and grow room based in St. Charles County, Missouri, is a great source of fresh and dried 'shrooms. You'll find them at the Lake St. Louis Farmer's Market or shop the store in person or online.

---

Give this recipe a try; I'll bet it'll be in your regular dinner rotation. If you liked that, here’s another delicious pork recipe:

https://www.threewomeninthekitchen.com/post/german-pork-schnitzel-with-sauerkraut

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Capers and Onions

Mediterranean flavors accent this easy and gluten-free recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Capers and Onions is ready in about 35 minutes, is gluten-free, and is just 425 calories per serving.

This is an excerpt from my cookbook, Three Women in the Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Growing Up in St. Louis.

When I was a single mom, weeknight dinners could be a challenge. My daughter wasn’t picky or had any food allergies. It came down to time. Like many of you, any recipe that can be on the table in about half an hour is a bonus.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Capers and Onions is a quick skillet dinner that I often served with a pasta simply dressed with olive oil, butter, minced garlic, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

I realize not every kid is going to eat capers (green and unripened flower buds from the caper bush, also known as Flinders rose), but my daughter loved them. I remember one evening in the kitchen with my then elementary-school-aged daughter. I turned my back for a minute to get something out of a drawer or cupboard and she had swiped the caper jar; I caught her emptying the contents directly into her mouth. (Some kids steal cookies; mine grab pickled Mediterranean flower buds.)

This dish, which we’ve lovingly come to call “Caper Chicken,” is similar to an Italian piccata that includes capers, onions, lemon, butter and flour. But the caper brine and a bit of white wine replace the lemon, and there’s no flour in this recipe. I like it because it’s quick to prepare, has a surprising depth of flavor for so few ingredients, and is 425 calories per serving (without the pasta side). Sautéed greens would go well with this, as would a side of broccoli.

Chicken breasts, salt, capers and onions are the main ingredients for this easy recipe.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 pound chicken breasts

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon Italian (or Greek) seasoning blend

• ¼ teaspoon coarse pepper

• ¼ cup capers with about 2 tablespoons of brine from jar

• 1 small yellow onion, sliced

• ⅓ cup white wine

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons butter

• Optional fresh parsley for garnish

Let’s get cooking. Wrap a chicken breast in parchment paper and gently pound thicker section to flatten. Repeat with each breast (I usually get three breasts to a package). Combine salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and sprinkle each breast (both sides) with mixture.

Put a large skillet on medium-high heat and bring to temperature before adding olive oil. Add sliced onion and cook until it just starts to soften. Add chicken and lightly brown breasts on both sides.

Add capers and wine. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until chicken's juices run clear. Finish with swirling butter into pan for a quick sauce and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

My family doesn’t like chicken breasts. What’s a good swap? Americans eat a lot of chicken — almost 99 pounds per capita, according to the World Animal Foundation — probably (in part, at least) because it’s versatile. You easily could swap out boneless and skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.

I didn’t use all the capers in my jar; how long to they last in the fridge? Capers that have been bottled in brine will keep up to a year when refrigerated. But you’ll probably make Caper Chicken another time before then! Capers also are good with salmon or tossed in pasta with garlic and lemon butter.

Does this recipe freeze well? Absolutely. If you’re a busy cook, make extra and freeze a portion to save for a later date.

I hope you’ll try our Caper Chicken. It works for a weeknight dinner, as well as a date night dish at home with your special one. Either way, you won’t be in the kitchen all night, and that’s a plus.

---

Louisiana Gumbo with Chicken, Andouille and Shrimp

This hearty dish satisfies with rich flavor and delivers a real taste of the South.

Gumbo with shredded chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp is served over white rice.

Food connects us to many memories, and for me, enjoying a bowl of gumbo transports me back to Louisiana. This recipe based on one by Louisiana chef Patrick Mould takes about two hours to make (add another hour if you’re making homemade roux), but it’s worth every minute you’ll spend in the kitchen. Authentic flavors in this gumbo are even better when rewarmed the next day. What better way to observe National Gumbo Day on Oct. 12?

Nearly 20 years ago, I had the great fortune to travel and eat my way through Louisiana. I was the editor of a new magazine for AAA members in the state, so what better way to get immersed in a culture than through its food? Time hasn’t dulled my memory of the savory meat pies in Natchitoches, Antoine’s oysters Rockefeller in New Orleans, and cracklins and boudin balls in Lafayette. It was during this trip that I met chef Mould, a wonderful guardian of Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun culinary recipes. He was so open with our group, eager to share his love and knowledge of Louisiana cooking.

That’s what impresses me about Louisiana cooks. Whether we’re talking about an award-winning chef or a seasoned home cook, they are so mindful about what they’re doing. Because food simply isn’t fuel for their bodies; it’s a form of artistic expression and a way of preserving a culture. The thought and care that goes into every dish inspire me to be better. And there's no better recipe for gumbo than this one.

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 stewing chicken

• 1 pound andouille sausage

• 1 pound frozen shrimp

• 14 cups water

• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cup chopped onion

• ½ cup chopped celery

• ½ chopped green pepper

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce

• 1 cup dark roux

• rice, green onion for serving

Let’s address the elephant in the room: the roux. Debate rages about making it yourself or buying it in a jar. According to the Southern Foodways Alliance, cooks for centuries have argued about how light or dark a roux (basically cooked fat and flour) should be. Similarly, there’s disagreement about tomatoes (in or out) and the thickness of gumbo. But everyone agrees that gumbo is as analogous to Louisiana as chili is to Texas.

I’ve made roux; the end result usually is blond in color (the darkest I’ve been able to go is tan). It’s a question of patience for me, because to make a dark chocolate-colored roux, a cook has to stand and stir for close to an hour, teetering close to burning the mixture and thus ending in disaster. I’m not that brave without an experienced Southern cook by my side to coach me through the process. So, it’s a jar of dark roux for me, which isn’t easy to find in my neck of the woods. A favorite of many cooks is Savoie’s old-fashioned dark roux. However, if you want to make your own, here’s a good recipe from the Acadiana Table website, which also sells its brand of prepared roux. There also are a variety of dried roux in pouches, consisting of the cooked flour, that many people dissolve in hot water before adding to their gumbo pot.

But before you need the roux, you’ll have to make the chicken stock for the gumbo. In a large stock pot, cover a cleaned, whole chicken (about 2½ pounds) with 14 cups of water. Add a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and bay leaf. Bring water to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken to a board and allow to cool before breaking it down, discarding skin and shredding the meat. Strain the liquid and set it aside; you'll need 12 cups of the stock for your gumbo.

Let's start by setting a large (four-quart) pot over medium-high heat, brown the sausage and add the onion, celery, green pepper (the Cajun Holy Trinity) and garlic; cook for five minutes. Add reserved chicken stock and bring to a boil; add dark roux, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Hot sauce and remaining Cajun seasoning simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Coarsely chop the chicken and add, along with the shrimp, and simmer for 10 minutes.

The gumbo is served over a mound of white rice with green onion and parsley garnish (that’s optional).

I can't find andouille sausage. This Cajun-style sausage, while more available today thanks to Cajun cooking's popularity, may not be easily found in all markets. You could swap out a smoked sausage or even ham.

This makes a lot of gumbo! Can I freeze a portion? You bet! While the gumbo could be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, it's best to freeze leftovers. Like chili, gumbo tastes better reheated.

Gumbo has been a part of Louisiana’s food scene since the early 19th century. The variety of Southern gumbos can include wild game, oysters, crabs, veal or steak (to name but a short list of ingredients). You’d see some of these varieties in New Iberia, Louisiana, at its annual gumbo cook-off always on the second weekend of October (this year, it’s Oct. 9 and 10). The Southern Foodways Alliance offers a short, informative history about gumbo, as well as a Gumbo Trail to explore, on its website.

Since my first visit to Louisiana many years ago, I’ve learned to appreciate the complexities of this dish that go hand-in-hand with the familiar comforting qualities it offers. This classic Louisiana gumbo surely will add a little lagniappe (something extra) to your table.

---