Roasted Pork Chops With Mushrooms in White Wine Cream
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Pamela_Steed_Hill]Pamela Steed Hill
Brining thick, bone-in pork chops helps tenderize the meat and keep it juicy while roasting. You can prepare this recipe without brining the chops, but allowing the time to do so will add extra tenderness to the dish.
The sauce for the chops is very simple to prepare but its rich flavor and creamy texture are a great accompaniment to the roasted meat and earthy mushrooms. If you prefer it a bit lighter, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. The texture will be thinner but the flavor will still be rich and tasty.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 cup salt
1/3 cup sugar
4-5 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 8-oz bone-in, center-cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
12 oz crimini or button mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Preparation
Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaf with 3 quarts of water in a very large, deep bowl. Stir well until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the pork chops to the brine and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper.
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper and add to the skillet.
Sear until beginning to brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to the prepared baking pan and roast until browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes, depending on thickness, turning halfway through.
In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the garlic and shallot. Saut� 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and white wine, scraping up brown bits.
Saut� until the mushrooms begin to soften and release their juices, 6-7 minutes. Add the cream and stir well to combine. Cook until the sauce slightly thickens, 3-4 minutes.
To serve, place 1 pork chop on each of 4 plates and spoon mushrooms and sauce on top. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
For more recipes and cooking tips from Pamela Steed Hill, check out [http://thebrinylemon.blogspot.com]The Briny Lemon.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Roasted-Pork-Chops-With-Mushrooms-in-White-Wine-Cream&id=8756273] Roasted Pork Chops With Mushrooms in White Wine Cream
