Bronzed Pork Chops with Chipotle Cream

Another delicious recipe from my friend in New Orleans.  You can never go wrong with any of his recipes.  Cook this one and impress your mother in law big time!

Sauce:

¼ lb. plus 2 T. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. chipotles in adobo sauce, minced

3 tsp. Creole seasoning

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup of sliced mushrooms (crimini preferred)

2 cups heavy cream

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. brown sugar

6 pork chops, 1"-1 ½" thick

2 T. Creole seasoning

2 T. canola oil

Make the sauce:

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  When the butter starts to sizzle, add the onions. Stir frequently until the onions start to brown on the edges.  Add the chipotles and 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 2 - 3 more minutes.  Add the stock and scrape the skillet to loosen any browned crust.  Remove from heat and empty contents of skillet to a bowl.

Return skillet to heat and add one tablespoon of butter. When butter sizzles, add mushrooms and remaining Creole seasoning.  Sauté until mushrooms begin to darken and brown at the edges.  Return onions and chipotles to the skillet and lower the heat to medium.  Whisk in cream, salt, and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining butter.  Keep warm while you prepare the chops.

Chops:

Preheat oven to 500º (550º if your oven allows).  Preheat a large cast iron skillet on high heat.  Season the pork chops and pat the seasonings in with your hands.  Add the oil to the skillet, swirl, and place three of the chops in the skillet leaving space between them. Sauté chops for 2 minutes and flip.  After 2 more minutes, transfer the chops to the oven for 4 - 5 more minutes.  Repeat for the remaining chops.  Serve one chop per person with a ladle of sauce on top.   If you cook a nice pot of cheese grits to go with these chops, you'll be glad you did.