Gluten Free Southern Smothered Pork Chops with Kale Crisps and Mustard Mash

Friday, June 14, 2013

This heartwarming, down-home dish hails straight from America's deep south. It's comforting, soul food with a modern twist!
Southern Smothered Pork Chops with Kale Crisps and Mustard Mash
When people suss out I'm an American, there's usually two things they always ask:
  1. Why would you move to rainy Manchester?! and
  2. What do you miss most about America?
I always feel a bit let down by the Manchester comment; I love Manchester and I think it's one of the greatest cities on the planet! In terms of what I miss most, one of the things is the food. I'm a southern gal, bred in North Carolina and one of the things we southerners are known for is our hospitality and drop-dead delicious meals. You'll never leave a southern house hungry. And you'll never get invited into a southern house without being offered sweet tea and some type of baked good.

Although there's no baked goods in this dish, this is a modified version of one of the meals my mom used to make. In true southern style, everything is homemade from the mashed potatoes to the gravy giving it all a big, warm hug! Smothered pork chops with mashed potatoes is one of my favorite dishes and eating it here, thousands of miles from home is a nice feeling. Being able to share this down-home southern cooking with my family is nice as well! I enjoy plying my husband with soul food and one day, when my son is older, I hope he'll appreciate this side of his culture. Okay, enough with all the sentiments. Let's get to the recipe, shall we?!



A plate of southern smothered pork chps with kale crisps and mustard mash

Ingredients: 

For the kale crisps
500g kale
drizzle of olive oil
sprinkling of sea salt

For the pork chops with gravy
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup gluten free all-purpose/plain flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp garlic granules
2 large pork chops
handful of fresh thyme, stalks and leaves

For the mustard mash
1 tsp English mustard powder
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp milk
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
knob of butter
salt and pepper



Instructions: 

Southern Smothered Pork Chops with Kale Crisps and Mustard Mash

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  2. Wash and dry the kale thoroughly, being sure to remove thick stalks, if desired.
  3. Allow the kale to continue to dry while the oven preheats. Boil enough water to cover the diced potatoes.
  4. Season the flour with onion powder, garlic granules, thyme sprigs, cayenne and salt and pepper.
  5. Dredge each pork chop through the flour, coating on both sides. Set aside. Do NOT discard the seasoned flour mix.
  6. Put the sunflower oil in the skillet and heat through. Meanwhile, drizzle the olive oil over the kale and sprinkle with salt. Mix well with hands and arrange on a baking tray and bake 10 to 15 minutes until crispy. 
  7. Fry the pork chops three minutes on one side.
  8. Check the potatoes for doneness by piercing them with a fork or knife. If the potatoes fall off the utensil immediately, they are done. If the potatoes are done, turn off the heat and cover. Do not drain yet as the hot water will keep the potatoes warm until you're ready to make the mash.
  9. Flip the pork shops and cook for a further three minutes and set aside.
  10. Remove the kale from the oven and set aside.
  11. Sprinkle a bit of the reserved seasoned flour into the skillet. Whisk until dissolved.
  12. Add the chicken broth and cook 5 minutes to allow the gravy to reduce and thicken.
  13. Put the pork chops back in the pan with the gravy, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 more minutes until the pork chops are cooked through.
  14. Drain the mashed potatoes and add the butter, mayonnaise, milk, salt, pepper and mustard to them. Mash well with a fork or potato masher. Use a wooden spoon to bring the mash together and mix everything well.
  15. To serve, put the mashed potatoes on the plate first, followed by the pork chops. Spoon the gravy over both the pork chops and the mash and top with a generous helping of crispy kale.
Two helpings of southern smothered pork chops with kale crisps and mustard mash

14 comments:

  1. I glad your happy in England my sister in law has been there for years and her kids are very happy there too. When she comes back to visit her dad in Virginia she buys boxes of all kinds of American foods from mac n cheese to ramen noodles... your dish is down home good. Thank you for sharing it on foodie friday with us.

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    1. Oh, I know the stocking up on American goodies bit all too well! :) Thank you for your kind words about my southern cooking! :)

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  2. This all sounds so good! I know my husband would appreciate a meal like this. I may have to try the mustard potatoes with our dinner tonight.
    Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday

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    1. Thank you! :) I hope you tried the mustard mash and enjoyed it :)

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  3. Oh That looks so good! I bet when you make this you get really homesick! I am such an Anglophile though I would never want to leave! I am so jealous that you live there!

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    1. I do get a bit homesick when I have this, but I'm like you, I'm such an Anglophile! :) I love being in England and find it difficult to imagine living back in the States!

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  4. Looks and sounds great! Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for linking up at the Friday Follow Along. Hope to see you again tomorrow! www.leahinspired.com

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  5. Thanks so much for sharing this at my Happy Monday Show & Share @ HappyWifey.net! This pork looks yummy :)

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  6. Congrats on being featured on Mandy's! Thanks for featuring me last week. I am late with this because we just returned from vacation but I was so excited to hear from you! This looks so delicious! Sandra @ http://scrumptilicious4you.blogspot.com

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  7. This looks amazing!!! I have pork chops in my freezer I might just have to thaw and use to make this recipe, YUM! Thanks for sharing this!

    Best,
    Jen @ YummyHealthyEasy.com

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    1. Thank you, Jen! :) This has become a family favorite! :)

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