I’m always on the look out for quick and easy pork dishes. This is a real one-pot wonder that my entire family loves – pork chops with a creamy, vegetable packed sauce. Pork chops can often be quite dry, but this method of cooking them ensures delicious, tender pork that is full of flavour.
Smothered pork (or chicken) is a dish that originated in the US, where the meat is browned then placed at the base of the dish before pouring over a rich and delicious sauce, hence the name. The smothered meat cooks gently in the creamy sauce and gives the sauce amazing flavour too.
This version is similar to the hearty German pork dish schnitzelpfanne in that it includes leeks and mushrooms in the sauce. The pork chop is the star of the show in schnitzelpfanne as it’s breaded and fried till golden and crisp before being bathed in the creamy sauce. It is a really decadent, filling dish.
I like to serve this with sweet potato mash for a little colour and the taste is great with the rich sauce, but it’s equally good with rice or pasta. You can also add extra vegetables such as fennel, peppers, courgettes or green beans.
Jack Reynor: ‘We were in two minds between eloping or going the whole hog but we got married in Wicklow with about 220 people’
Forêt restaurant review: A masterclass in French classic cooking in Dublin 4
I went to the cinema to see Small Things Like These. By the time I emerged I had concluded the film was crap
Charlene McKenna: ‘Within three weeks, I turned 40, had my first baby and lost my father’
I love the flavour from brandy or whiskey with this sauce but white wine would be the more traditional alcohol used. The alcohol content burns off over the high heat so we’re only adding it for depth of flavour. Do feel free to omit it entirely.
Pork is an economical choice that can often be overlooked for beef or chicken. It really does take on flavours so well and this simple dish is the perfect way to enjoy pork again.
Recipe: Leek and mushroom smothered pork chops
Lilly’s Kitchen Tips
- To wash the leeks, slice them horizontally from the tip down, keeping the root intact. Place the sliced leek under running water feathering it out to remove any soil or grit.
- Place the mushrooms in direct sunlight for a few hours before cooking to absorb vitamin D. Slice them to increase the surface exposure or leave them gill side up to for maximum absorption.
- Finishing an oven cooked dish with fresh herbs always brings a bright pop of flavour and welcome freshness. Use dill or parsley here.
