Saturday, January 1, 2011

Smoked Pork Chops and Mustard Mash



01/01/11

Looks strange, doesn't it?  It's difficult to believe that we've quietly slipped into the next decade with no special fanfare or hoopla.  The 21st Century is 1/10 over.  Yes...it's true.  I tried to recalculate the numbers but I just kept coming back to the same answer.  One tenth gone.  Lots of good things happened in the first decade - graduations, grandchildren, a new business, but there were some life changing terrible things as well. I pray we never go through another day like 09/11, ongoing wars,  or experience a natural disaster that has the potential of changing life for millions of people.  I'm happy to move on to the second decade of this century with high hopes for good things to come.  I fervently pray for good health, happiness, peace and prosperity for us all in the coming year.

So...moving on.  I'm still not back in the kitchen as usual and will be looking for good, easy meals for a few more days.  I stopped by my local German market to buy some Black Forest Ham and purchased several of their delicious pork chops that they smoke right on the premises.  All of their meats are wonderful but these chops are my favorite and are made to serve with Ina's potatoes.

Ina' Recipe for Mustard Mash from "How Easy Is That?"

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (Ina likes to mash Yukon Gold but I prefer russets)
Kosher Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
4 ounces creme fraiche (I used sour cream)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.  Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the saucepan.  Add butter, milk, and creme fraiche and beat the potatoes in the pan with a handheld mixer until very smooth and creamy.  Add a little extra milk if they are too stiff.  Mix in the mustards,salt to taste, and pepper.  Place the potatoes in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water and keep hot up to 30 minutes, until ready to serve.  Add more hot milk if they get too thick.

Ina serves these potatoes with sausages and they would be fantastic with baked ham as well.  They look innocent on the plate but they pack a flavor wallop that you will love.  I hope you will try this wonderful recipe  along with all the other recipes in her great new book.



26 comments:

  1. You are talking to my German heart. If I had a butcher like that in my neighborhood.....wow...I would really get to know him. This to me is comfort food and I am anxious to try Ina's potatoes.

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  2. Oh I'm so jealous! I want a good German Market too!!! Happy New Year Cathy, wishing you all the best in 2011:@)

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  3. Cathy, I am firmly convinced there is nothing that you put your hand to that isn't a resounding success. You + cooking = magic!

    Happy New Year to one of my favorite blogging friends. May all good things come to you in this new year, filled to overflowing with blessings of every sort.

    Love you...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  4. I am back because I am still drooling over that beautiful smoked pork chop. I just loved them. Kasseler Rippchen, as they say in Germany. We use them in our quick and easy Choucroute which we do not eat often enough. Looking forward to all your good things in the year to come. Susan

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  5. Looks wonderful Cathy...Kassler Rippchen(smoked pork loin chops) are one of our favorite things.I always seve them with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. I will have to give the mustard potatoes a whirl...we are lucky to have a really great German butcher right here in our town as well.
    Happy New Year!

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  6. Yes, Kassler, Kartoffelbrei und Sauerkraut. That's for me, too. We should all have a German get together!!
    Happy New Year.

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  7. My wishes are the same as yours:)

    Thanks for this recipe..we eat quite a bit of mashed potatoes..the addition of the mustard?Ooh lala!

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  8. Cathy, thanks so much for the review on Ina's Mustard Mash. I haven't tried those yet, but am moving them up the list now.

    Happy New Year to you, too!

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  9. We are fortunate to have many German meat specialties in Milwaukee as well! I would love to try the mustard mashed potatoes with any one of those flavorful meats.

    Amazing here we are in 2011 already! I second your wishes with all my heart.

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  10. No German market here- that chop looks wonderful. And the potatoes? A perfect accompaniment! I hope you have a wonderful new year!

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  11. This looks delicious!
    LOL, there was no fanfare for the beginning of the new decade, because most of the world mistakenly thought it was last year. So glad to know that someone else gets it!! :-)

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  12. Happy New Year to you and your family ! May year 2011 bring lots of wonderful thing in life.

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  13. I received that book for Christmas and haven't had a chance to look through slowly. I just asked my son how much of the whole grain mustard he'd used for tonight's ham glaze and there is, apparently, enough left for these potatoes for tomorrow - yippee!

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  14. Love Ina's recipes and this one has been catching my eye. Thank you for posting this.

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  15. I have pork tenderloins in the freezer calling to be roasted. I think I'll do the mustard mash (why is this reminding me of a song?) to go with them.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  16. That does look so good. Maybe that will be on the menu tonight. Happy New Year.

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  17. Perfect! I have a ham that is going in the oven today...I cannot think of a better accompaniment than the Mustard Mash! How did I not see this in her book....thanks, Cathy.

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  18. I love how your photos change on your main page! This looks great-- smoked pork chops? MUST try to find them around here, or make friends with someone who has a smoker :) I've been wanting to try BC's mustard mash-- looks great!

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  19. oh yum, i remember watching her make these as my mouth watered, i love all of that mustard!

    happy new year!

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  20. Hey Cathy!! Happy New Year to you and yours and all the best of everything in 2011!!
    Got this book of Ina's. LOVE her books!!
    Will have to give this one a try!

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  21. I haven't made this recipe yet, Cathy. You've convinced me it is time to give it a try. It really does sound wonderful with the smoked pork chops. I hope you've had a great holiday. Blessings...Mary

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  22. ANYTHING with potatoes works for me! I'm always scouting for new ways to make old favourites - can't wait to try it without telling anyone, then watch their reaction!!

    Happy 2011!!

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  23. I love this dish, Cathy! Ina's new book sure sounds excellent....this recipe is fabulous! It's a super combo with pork.

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  24. Both of them look good to me. Sounds like a great flavor combo.

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  25. Delish, I'm very interested in that Mustard Mash. I've thought of buying that cookbook, do you think it's worth it? Thanks...hope your new year is starting out great!

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  26. Mmmmm what a great recipe and it so puts regular mashed potatoes to shame!

    I am just writing up a post looking back and looking forward and it is strange to think how time passes by... maybe because we aren't young whippersnappers anymore, time has become more precious?

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Thanks so much for visiting. I hope you enjoyed my blog and will leave a comment or two. And come back again of course ~ Cathy