Lovely Mushroom & Herb Pork Chops

A take-off on our family favorite, Lovely Garlic-Rosemary Pork Chops

Overview of Lovely Mushroom & Herb Pork Chops

Close-up and Side View of Lovely Mushroom & Herb Pork Chops

• 3 or 4 Pork Chops (allow one pork chop per person, don't worry that the recipe won't make enough sauce for four, it was originally written for four). 
• 16 oz Mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 C Olive Oil
• 1tsp + 1/2 tsp dried Rosemary (fresh is lovelier, if you have it, but you'll need more of it. It grows well in Austin. Just sayin').
• 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp dried Thyme
• 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• 1/2 C White Wine (My current white "cooking" wine is Cavit Pinot Grigio).
• 1, 12 oz, can Evaporated Milk (be careful that it is Evaporated Milk, and not Filled Evaporated Milk, they are different products).

Heat a large stainless steel skillet on medium heat for two minutes. Add the olive oil. Once it starts to look hot, and it won't take long, add the mushrooms, 1 tsp of the rosemary , 1/2 tsp of the thyme, and 1/4 tsp of the sea salt. Cook,stirring at least once, for about two minutes. Make space among the mushrooms and add the pork chops. 

Pepper the up sides of the pork chops, only. Once the juices pool, flip the pork chops. Then, cook until red juices seem to stop flowing. Flip once more. Basically, you're trying to fully cook the pork chops without overcooking them. Be careful, too, not to burn the pan because you're going to need it for the sauce. Shortly after the second flip, remove the pork chops from the pan and immediately reduce the heat to low. You can set the pork chops in a warm oven (not higher than 250F), or on a platter, covered or uncovered, while you make the pan sauce.

To make the pan sauce, carefully (there may be steam), add the wine to the hot pan. Scape the pan with a sturdy stainless steel spatula (the browning stuck to the pan, that you are in the act of unsticking, contributes  to the sauce's flavor. In other words, don't skip this step). Reduce by about half. Add the evaporate milk, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/8 tsp sea salt and up to 7 grinds black pepper. Heat 'til it's warm. It may form a skin if you don't stir it often. This isn't a problem, just stir it. If low is too slow, it's alright to adjust the heat higher at this point, and don't worry if you accidentally bring it to a boil because that's not a problem with evaporated milk.

Serve the warm sauce over the chops.

I served the Lovely Mushroom & Herb Pork Chops over Brown Rice, and with Normandy Blend Vegetables (yes, frozen vegetables, yes, from Costco).

Ate on 3/11/2011