Claire's Pork Chops and Swamp

This is a recipe that my friend, Claire made for us on our trip. My son and I both loved it, so I decided to adopt it and make it at home. This dish is an old family recipe that was passed down on her grandfather's side (I think that's right). When Claire was little, her and her brother starting calling the gravy "swamp" and the name stuck. Typically, they serve this meal with mashed potatoes, and I don't think I am going to deviate from tradition. Why mess with a good thing???? This meal is so homey and comforting, I am really looking forward to having it again. Below I am going to reprint the recipe as she has written it, then link to one of her blog reviews that has photos on how to make it. Once you see the pics, you will understand why I had to copy this dish 'post haste'!

Claire's Pork Chops and Swamp

Ingredients:
4 pork chops (I like boneless but you can use bone-in)
yellow mustard
flour
canola oil
1 packet dry noodle soup mix (like Lipton)
Water (about 2 cups, more if needed)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)

Directions:
Spread each side of the pork chops with mustard, then dredge in flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add pork chops. Brown on each side. Sprinkle one packet of noodle soup in pan around the pork chops (not on the pork chops). Add water to pan to about the top of the pork chops. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring "swamp" and adding more water as necessary (i.e. as it reduces adjust amount of water to get proper gravy consistency). Serve with mashed potatoes using swamp as gravy.

Claire's Pork Chops and Swamp Review with Photos

Here is the link to my mashed potatoes recipe:

Jen's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I am really looking forward to dinner tonight!



The Result:
Ummmm.....I heart Pork Chops and Swamp! I figured out why I like it so much...it is the mustard crust on the pork that melts into the noodle soup, creating a flavorful gravy. Seriously, that is the beauty of Swamp!!! This recipe is a definite keeper. The husband and boy gobbled it up, so I predict that this will become a family favorite of ours, too. Again....yum, yum, yum!

I served this dish with glazed carrots and added a couple little extras to put my spin on this dish. For instance, I added salt and pepper to the flour mixture, so the pork would be slightly seasoned going into the pan. Then, I added a chicken bouillon cube to the water; for no reason other than I wanted to see what it would do. Turns out, I liked the bouillon cube. It just gave it a little oomph...a slight hint of chicken-y goodness. I added my changes to the original recipe as 'optional' items. Also, I noted that I used canola oil (the original recipe just says "oil". I think canola or vegetable oil is the way to go, since they don't break down over high heat and you can get a nice brown crust on your pork). My changes certainly aren't necessary, I just wanted to play around with the recipe a little (yes, I know...I messed with a good thing). Trust me, the original version is pretty much perfect!

Claire, thanks again for sharing this dish!!!