If a recipe includes the term “Dijonnaise”, it technically means that the preparation is in the style Dijon, the city. In practice, I challenge you to find a recipe so named that doesn’t contain Dijon style mustard.
Boneless Pork Chops with Creamy Dijon Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 medium boneless pork loin chops, about ½ inch thick –or- pork tenderloin, sliced ½ inch thick
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp each butter and olive oil
- ¼ cup sliced shallots
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 4 Tbsp heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp capers, divided
- 2 Tbsp coarsely ground Dijon mustard
Method:
- If using chops, cut them in half. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.
- Melt the oil and butter over high flame in a pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer. Alternatively cook the meat in batches. Sauté the chops until nicely browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Pork chops want to be cooked quickly over high heat or they will toughen. Transfer to a warmed platter and tent with foil.
- Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of fat from the pan. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the browned bits from cooking the pork. Continue cooking until the liquid in almost completely reduced.
- Stir in the chicken broth and cream and let the sauce reduce until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the mustard, 2 Tbsp of capers, and any juices that have collected from the pork chops. Return the pork to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer until the pork is heated through.
- Serve with the remaining capers sprinkled over as a garnish.
About Dijon mustard
“Dijon” means mustard to more people than the name of this city 300 km southeast of Paris. At least a few other French place names have become synonymous with the place’s most famous product: Champagne, Cognac and Camembert come to mind.
Preparations from mustard seeds go back at least to the Romans. Apicius, a cookbook from the 4th or early 5th century, has a recipe for a condiment with ground mustard and 13 other ingredients suggested as a glaze for spit-roasted wild boar.
10th century monks brought a recipe for mustard to France, but the breakthrough came in 1856, when Jean Naigeon first created what would become known as "Dijon Mustard" by substituting verjuice (a sour juice made from unripe grapes) for the more assertive vinegar. The less acidic result became popular enough that guests at a bash the Duke of Burgundy was throwing consumed, in one sitting, 70 gallons of mustard crème.
While Dijon’s name has become synonymous with this style of mustard, ironically more of the mustard seed is grown in Canada.
About tomato paste in a tube
Plenty of recipes call for just a tablespoon or so of tomato paste. If you buy it in even the smallest can, you are bound to find it growing some fun fuzz a few weeks later. Look for tomato paste in a tube. Just like toothpaste, squeeze out just what you need, screw the cap back on and the rest stays good for the next recipe, even it’s a month later.
More Recipes with Dijon Mustard
If you like the tang of Dijon mustard, you may wish to try:
- Honey Dijon Corned Beef with Dilled Cabbage
- Chicken in Creamy Dijon Mushrooms
- French Mustard-Vinaigrette and Salad Recipes
Larry Ervin - Foodie, self-taught cook and cookbook addict, I never met a recipe I didn't want to twist, simplify, add or switch out ingredients.
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