Pork Cotoletta

Succulent pork chops dredged in a tangy lemon and parmesan crust served with a lemon and chive sauce. Delicious!

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the pork cotoletta

• 6 pork chops

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup breadcrumbs

• 1 cup panko crumbs

• 2 lemons (zest both for the crumb mixture; juice 1 for the sauce)

• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan

• 1 large tablespoon butter (for frying)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Oil, for shallow frying (about ½ cm deep)

For the lemon and chive sauce

• 2 large teaspoons chicken stock powder

• 1 large tablespoon butter

• ¼ cup cream

• 1 tablespoon corn flour

• ½ bunch chives, finely chopped

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1½ cups water

  
  

Method

1. Remove all but a very thin layer of fat from around the chops.

2. To a tray, add the panko and breadcrumbs. Zest both lemons and add to the crumbs along with the parmesan. Mix well.

3. Add the eggs to a dish and beat well with a fork. Add plenty of salt and pepper.

4. Dredge the prepared chops in the egg, then move to the crumb mixture and coat both sides, pressing the crumbs on firmly. Remove to a tray. See tips below.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

6. To a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil (you need the oil roughly ½ cm deep). Heat over high heat until the butter has melted and the oil is sizzling. Add 2 to 3 chops, depending on the size of your pan — don’t overcrowd. Turn the heat down slightly and cook until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side. As the chops are cooked, remove to an oven tray. Note: the chops will not be fully cooked through at this point, they will just be a nice golden color from the frying. When all the chops are cooked, place them in the hot oven for 10 minutes to finish off cooking.

7. Meanwhile, for the sauce, bring 1½ cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the stock powder and butter and stir until the butter has melted. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Remove from the heat. Mix the cream and corn flour together until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and, while stirring vigorously, add the cream mixture. Continue stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives.

8. Remove the chops from the oven and rest for 5–10 minutes. To serve, generously pour some of the sauce onto the plate and top with the cotoletta. Serve extra sauce on the side.

   
   

Tips

• Chops can be crumbed prior to cooking time or even the day before. Refrigerate until 1/2 hour before cooking. Crumbed chops can also be frozen. Defrost thoroughly — overnight is best. Sit at room temperature for at least ½ hour before frying.

• The sauce can be made up to an hour before, without the chives. Add them right before serving or they will discolour. Warm the sauce gently, without boiling, just before serving.