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Braised Pork Chops With Cream And Mustard Sauce
(Cotes de Porc Braisees a la Moutarde)
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| What You Need: |
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6 center cut loin pork chops, cut 1½ inches thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Flour
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ cups thinly sliced onions
3 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably white)
Bouquet garni made of 2 parsley sprigs and 1 bay leaf, tied together
¾ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
A few drops of lemon juice
Fresh parsley sprigs
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the chops generously with salt and pepper, dip them in flour, then vigorously shake off all but a light dusting. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, melt the butter with the oil over moderate heat.
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2. When the foam subsides, brown the chops for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they are a rich golden color. As the chops brown, remove them from the skillet with tongs and place them in a shallow flameproof casserole large enough to hold them all, preferably in one layer.
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3. After the chops are browned, pour off all but a thin film of fat from the skillet. Add the onions and cook them over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and lightly browned.
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4. Stir in the wine vinegar, bring it to a boil and scrape up any browned bits that cling to the bottom and sides of the skillet. Cook the vinegar almost completely away, then spoon the onions and juices over the chops, and add the bouquet garni.
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5. Bring the casserole to a sizzle on top of the stove, cover it tightly and bake it on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes. With a bulb baster or large spoon, baste the chops with the juices that have accumulated in the casserole or, if there is not enough of these, with 2 or 3 tablespoons of heated chicken stock.
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6. Bake for 10 minutes longer, then turn the chops over and baste them again. After another 10 minutes, test the chops by piercing one near the bone with the tip of a sharp knife; if the juices that run out are yellow with no traces of pink, the chops are done. With tongs, transfer the chops to a heated platter and cover or set in a 200°F oven to keep warm.
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7. Tip the casserole and skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the drippings. Pour in the cream and bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
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8. When the sauce has thickened sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon lightly, remove the casserole from the heat and stir in the mustard and lemon juice. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve directly over the chops, pressing down hard on the onions with the back of a spoon before discarding them. Garnish the chops with parsley and serve at once.
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