This is I think originally from the Champagane/Ardennes region of France and when I came across it first it was called Pork Ardennes and was in a publication, ubiquitous to any housewife in the sixties, called the Cordon Bleu Cookbook.

It was a recipe which I had more or less discarded because these creamy rich sauces are so unfashionable these days.
The recent arrival in our shops of various brands of the French Crème Fraiche has brought them back to mind and, as I had to feed about twenty people at a party over Christmas I thought it was time to give this old chestnut a second whirl.

The Gin is a new addition, but one well worth copying, it really pronounced the juniper flavour and made the dish special.

It is a very easy recipe to multiply up up for a party and as pork chops are one of our cheaper meats at the moment need not cost a fortune.


Pork Chops with Gin Mushrooms and Juniper
(Serves 4)

4 large Pork Chops (or 8 little ones)


90g (3 oz.) Streaky rashers
1 Small Glass White Wine
1 Shot of Gin
6 Juniper Berries crushed
30g (1 oz) Butter
1 Onion
110g (4 oz.) Mushrooms
125ml (4 oz) Crème Fraiche (Low Fat)

First cut the rashers into fine dice and marinade these in the white wine with the crushed juniper for at least 3 hours before you cook the pork. Don’t try and short cut this as it is the flavour of the marinaded bacon that defines this dish.

Melt the butter in the pan and brown the chops on both sides.
Put these into an ovenproof dish
Drain the bacon from the marinade but keep it.
In the remaining fat in the pan fry the bacon pieces until they are crisp, sprinkle over the pork.
Slice the onion, brown in the bacon fat and add to the pork.
Slice the mushrooms and fry these in the remaining fat (or add a little olive oil or butter if the pan is dry)
Fry these hard until they brown then add to the casserole.
Then add the wine marinade to the pan and bring to a hard boil.
Pour this over the pork, season with black pepper and a little salt.
Cover the casserole with a lid or some tinfoil and cook at 150C, 300F. Gas2 for 60 minutes.

Drain the juices from the pork into a pan and boil up with the Crème Fraiche to make the sauce.
Serve the chops with their garnish of bacon and vegetables and spoon over the sauce.

This is delicious with green cabbage and boiled potatoes.