Well, we had our (hopefully only) snowfall for the season. But the temperatures are still WAY below my comfort zone: it’s 17 degrees outside - a cold that actually hurts the skin.
So, it’s time to make something rich, hot and hearty, and enjoy dinner by the fireplace.
This will fit the bill.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound pork chops
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter divided
1 onion, diced
8 ounces Crimini mushrooms, sliced
For the Whiskey Sauce
1 head black garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup Irish whiskey
¾ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
⅛ teaspoon salt or to taste
⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
METHOD
Place black garlic cloves in a small bowl, and mash with a fork to a smooth paste. Add the olive oil and mix well.
Set your oven to 350. Place mushroom slices on a parchment-covered tray and place in the oven for the mushrooms to dry out a bit – about 15 minutes. I do this whenever I use mushrooms in a recipe. It concentrates their flavor, and minimizes the water that leeches into the sauce.
Season both sides of the pork chops with onion powder, salt and pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork chops and brown them in the pan by cooking them on each side for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and add a tablespoon of additional butter. Once melted, add the onion and sliced mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside on a plate once cooked.
Add the last tablespoon of butter to the skillet.
Melt the butter and add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula for 1 minute to cook the flour and make a roux.
Slowly add the black garlic mixture, stirring constantly. Slowly add the whiskey.
Using a whisk to combine, slowly add the beef broth, then Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 3 minutes. Do not bring to a hard boil since this will affect the texture of the sauce, but you do have to cook the alcohol out, so keep tasting.
Return the pork chops to the pan and spoon the sauce over them. Top with the mushrooms. Place a lid on the pan and heat through for 2 to 3 minutes. The pork chops should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
For thick pork chops, finish cooking this dish in the 350 degree oven. If your skillet is oven proof, place the dish in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
I served the chops over a bed of polenta, but you can use rice or mashed potatoes.
It’’s a good thing I’m a much better cook than I am a photographer. This is a terrible photo, but the dish is wonderful.
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