More Pork Chops

My last semester may be in full swing, but the cooking doesn't stop. After all, Scooter and I need to eat, and we much prefer food we can enjoy. Just a quick e-portfolio update before this week's recipe.

Competencies completed: 2
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 11
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 67 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 81 days

I'm still waiting to get feedback on the competency I submitted this morning. I've also gone through and created some notes for each competency to get me started with writing. There are a few I know I will struggle with.

Now to food. I've been on a pork kick recently. Scooter and I made pork chops together two nights ago using a recipe from my Italian cookbook. So this week's recipe is pork chops with tomatoes, cream, and wild mushrooms.

What you'll need:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inches thick
1/2 c. white wine*
1/2 c. canned whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 1-oz. package of dried wild mushrooms (can use dried procini mushrooms too)
1/2 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced thin

What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let sit and soak to reconstitute. Once they have, cut them into small pieces. Reserve the water.
2. In a large saute pan that can accommodate all the pork chops with no overlap, add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and heat on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown pork well on both sides.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer for about 20 seconds to burn off the alcohol and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper, and reconstituted mushrooms. Lower heat until the pan is gently simmering and cover. Let chops cook for 40-45 minutes until tender.
5. Put the water from the reconstituted mushrooms into a small pot and boil down to about 1/3 c.
6. In another saute pan, add the remaining olive oil over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white mushrooms. Saute until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the water from the small pot and cook, stirring frequently.
7. When all water has disappeared, turn off heat. Add the white mushrooms to the pork when it has become tender. Turn chops and stir the contents of the large saute pan to blend everything together. Cook over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.

*As always, choose something you would drink--and enjoy a glass of the same wine with dinner!

I substituted half and half for the heavy cream when we made this to lower the fat content a bit. It still tasted really good, and for those of you that are concerned about fat/calories it's a good substitution. Lean cuts of pork or trimming the fat you see on the meat can help as well.