I bought a bottle of Maker’s Mark bourbon recently and am now using it wherever I can, like in these recipes for sweet potatoes (plus I can’t stop thinking about making bourbon blondies). I came across this recipe when it was posted at Simply Recipes in August and couldn’t wait to make it once the weather turned colder. We had a bit of an Indian summer in October, with temperatures staying mild, but winter seems to have blown in during the last week, along with the time change. We marked the occasion by lighting the first fires of the season and making this dish. The name says it all, really — how can you go wrong with bourbon and cream? It’s what comfort food wants to be when it grows up.
Pork Chops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce
adapted from Simply Recipes
Serves 4
I used the leftover sauce the next day to turn a humble lunch of mushrooms on toast into something decadent. This sauce would also be equally as good with some grilled chicken or used as a luxurious sauce for pasta.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (450 g) sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) bourbon whiskey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
4 x 7‑oz (200‑g) center-cut pork chops
all-purpose flour
2 cups (200 g) fresh bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
Saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on a medium-high heat until the mushrooms are browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and boil down until the liquid is reduced to almost a glaze, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bourbon and boil until reduced by two-thirds. Add the cream and simmer for several minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow baking dish. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip the chops first into the flour, then the egg mixture and lastly the breadcrumbs, coating then completely. Heat the olive or grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Turn the chops one more time, lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. (Alternatively, you can put the chops in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 8 more minutes.)
When you’re almost ready to serve the pork, bring the sauce to a simmer and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 4
1 large butternut squash
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Peel and halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1‑inch cubes (you don’t need to be precise, just keep the pieces uniformly small). Place the squash in a roasting tin, casserole dish or baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, tossing everything together well with your hands to make sure all the squash is coated with the oil. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender.
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