Last Night's Dinner #43: Pork Chop Milanese

I had to redeem myself after yesterday's disaster - so yes, pork again!
As if you could go wrong with anything pan-fried and breaded... good thing the side is a light salad!



Pork Chop Milanese with Arugula and Teardrop Tomatoes
Recipe from The Babbo Cookbook
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Difficulty: Easy

You'll need:
- 4 center-cut pork chops, 1 inch thick (boneless or you can remove the bone yourself)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 bunch of arugula, stems removed
- 1/2 pound teardrop tomatoes, halved lenghtwise - I couldn't find teardrop tomatoes, so I just used grape tomatoes and I forgot to cut them lengthwise.
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, seeds removed

The trick is to cook the chops slowly over even, meduim heat, so that they cook through without burning the bread-crumb crust.



step 1. Remove the bones from the pork chops if you're using bone-in chops. Using a meat mallet, carefully pound the pork chops until they are uniformly 1/4 inch thick. I don't have a mallet so I just used my heaviest mug. Season the pork chops with salt (don't be shy with the salt) and pepper. Dip each chop into the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each chop in the bread crumbs and set on a plate.



step 2. In a 14- to 16-inch sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add the butter and allow it to foam for 10 to 15 seconds. Place the chops in the pan and cook until light golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn the chops and cook on the other side until light golden brown, about 5 more minutes. Add more oil if necessary, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, to avoid scorching the breading.

step 3. In a large bowl, combine the arugula and tomatoes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper and toss to coat the greens.



step 4. Place one pork chop on each of four warmed dinner plates. Divide the arugula salad evenly among the plates, place a lemon wedge on each plate, and serve immediately.