Pork Milanese Recipe
Pork Milanese is an Italian classic made with thin pork cutlets that are breaded and sautéed until golden. It's served with an arugula salad with lemon for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- Four (1-inch-thick) center-cut, boneless pork chops
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 bunch arugula, stems removed (or other salad greens)
- 1/2 pound teardrop, grape, or cherry tomatoes, halved, or colorful heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, seeded and cut into 4 wedges
Instructions
- Working with 1 pork chop at a time, place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper or pieces of plastic wrap. Grab a meat mallet [Editor's Note: A rolling pin or the bottom of a cast-iron skillet works just dandy] and pound the pork chops until they're uniformly 1/4 inch thick.
- Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and lightly beat them with a fork. Place the bread crumbs on a plate. Set these up next to your stove.
- Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip each chop into the beaten egg, allowing the excess to drip off. Then dredge each chop in the bread crumbs and place it on a clean plate.
- In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup oil. Add the butter and wait for the foam to subside, which should happen in 10 to 15 seconds.
- Place the pork in the pan, being careful not to crowd the pork. You may need to work in batches. Cook until the pork is light golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chops and cook until the other side is light golden brown and the pork is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Add more oil if necessary, 1/2 tablespoon or so at a time.
☞ TESTER TIP: Be certain to keep the heat at a medium heat so as not to burn the bread crumb coating.
- While the pork cooks, combine the arugula (or salad greens) and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Divvy the pork, arugula salad, and lemon wedges among plates and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 312mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g