Pork Chops & Mushrooms, Baked in Foil

I think this is the perfect dinner party recipe! Easy enough for a beginner cook to handle and yet really impressive! I see no reason why you can't prepare this recipe in advance, up to the wrapping in foil stage, then refrigerate it until you're ready to cook it - perhaps adding 15 minutes to the cooking time. You could substitute a half and half mixture of ordinary sour cream and double cream for the creme fraiche, but the creme fraiche is best and won't separate. This dish is rich, so it only needs simple side dishes. I serve it with Potatoes Anna Potatoes Anna and a steamed green vegetable. It also reheated well in the microwave the next day. It's adapted from a Delia Smith recipe.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  large  pork loin chops, trimmed of excess fat
• 50  g butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme or 1  tablespoon fresh thyme leave
• 350  g mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1  large  lemon, juice of
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons plain flour
•  salt
•  pepper
• 200  ml creme fraiche

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
2. Line a large baking tin with alumnium foil leaving a very generous overlap over all sides (you'll probably need four sheets - two across and two lengthwise).
3. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and fry the pork chops on both sides until golden brown.
4. Transfer cooked chops to the foil lined baking tin.
5. Sprinkle chops evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and thyme.
6. Add mushrooms to the frying pan, along with a little more butter if necessary, and cook, stirring, until the juices from the mushrooms begin to run.
7. Add the lemon juice (it seems like a lot of juice, but it won't be too lemony, trust me) and allow it to boil for 1 minute.
8. Now, sprinkle on the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to combine (it looks like a dog's breakfast now, but don't worry!).
9. Spoon this mushroom mixture evenly over the pork chops.
10. Sprinkle LIGHTLY with a little more salt and pepper.
11. Spoon big dobs of creme fraiche evenly over the top of the mushroom mixture.
12. Wrap the whole lot loosely in the foil, sealing securely, but making sure you leave some space between the top of the chops and the foil.
13. Bake on the centre shelf of the preheated 180c (350F) oven for 1 hour.
14. Remove from oven, unwrap and serve, spooning any extra juices over the chops - you'll find you have more of a 'topping' than a 'sauce'.
15. Serve with simple side dishes as this is a rich meal.