Recipes Inspired by the Mothers' of
Celebrity Chefs and Cookbook Authors

Smothered Pork Chops with Collard Greens

Yield:
6 to 8 servings
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons reserved pork fat
  • 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour for sautéeing
  • 4 each shoulder pork chops cut 1 1/2 inches thick
  • 1 each green pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 each medium onions, sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups ham hock stock, hot (see recipe)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Season each chop with salt and pepper, then dust with flour.

Heat a cast iron skillet large enough to hold the pork chops over medium heat. Add the reserved pork fat and brown the pork chops well, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of fat if the pan is dry. Add the onions and peppers. Increase the heat to medium high and brown the vegetables well. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the flame and stir in the hot ham hock stock until thickened and smooth.

Bury the pork chops in the gravy. Cover the skillet and place in a 300°F oven. Cook 2 hours, or until pork is very tender.
To serve, ladle gravy onto center of a plate, place pork chops in the center. Top with collard greens.

Ham Hock Stock

Yield: About 1 1/2 gallons

  • 10 pounds smoked ham hocks
  • 10 pounds fresh ham hocks
Place ham hocks in a stockpot large enough to hold the hocks, leaving 6 inches of free space at the top of the pot. Pour enough cold water over the hocks to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a rapid simmer over a medium high heat. A thick foam will build on the top of the stock. Carefully remove all of the foam. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 6 hours. Constantly skim the clear fat that builds at the top of the stock. Reserve the fat for cooking.

Collard Greens

Yield: 4 servings
  • 1/4 gallon ham hock stock
  • 5 each large bunches of collard greens chopped into 4-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, peeled
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, split in half lengthwise
  • Malt vinegar to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Place ham hock stock in a large saucepot over a medium high heat. Bring stock to a rapid simmer. Pack collards into the stock with the onion and jalapeño. Simmer 2 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper and malt vinegar.


Adapted from C
hef Michel Nischan's recipe.

[Back to Mother's Day Recipes] [Previous recipe by Michel Nischan]


StarChef Michel Nischan (more info) was Corporate Consulting Chef for Steelhead Grill in Pittsburgh, The Brant Point Grill in Nantucket and Blue Shore in Memphis. He owned the highly acclaimed Mich Mache, where he was named "the best chef in Connecticut" by Connecticut Magazine. He is now the Corporate Chef of the Myriad Group as well as the renowned executive chef of Heartbeat In W New York, 541 Lexington Ave., New York; (212) 407-2900.



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