I love no-nonsense women. Women who know what they want. They talk straight. They're confident, they're ball busters and don't take crap from anyone. This is Chef Alex Guarnaschelli. She is incredibly intelligent and a top-notch chef. You may know her as one of the judges from Chopped or Beat Bobby Flay. She is also an executive chef and cookbook author. I recently purchased her book, Cook with Me, and made the best pork dish of my life. I made Alex Guarnaschelli's Superb Pork Cutlets. Come to think of it, I believe this was her mom's recipe from her childhood. I'll warn you now: they are totally addicting!
Alex Guarnaschelli's Pork Cutlets Have a Simple List of Ingredients
There are only a handful of ingredients to this excellent pork cutlet dish. Each addition is critical to the overall flavor and balance of the dish. The best part is that you probably already have some of the ingredients on hand. This dish comes together very quickly with an outstanding and surprising sauce made from tomatoes, fresh squeezed lemon juice and maple syrup. I would not have thought of these ingredients together before making this. The result is a sweet and tangy punch that complements the crunch of the pork in the best possible way. And don't forget the pinch of red pepper flakes - this is a small, but critical flavor. Oh, and the basil. Again, not a fresh herb I would think of pairing with pork, of all things. But it is crazy delicious!
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tomato sauce is!
Got a Thing for Pork? Me Too! Here's a Few More Yummy Treats for You:
- Pork Butt Stir Fry w/Carrots & Bok Choy
- Pork Chops w/Stove Top Stuffing, Caramelized Onions & Apples
- Crispy Pork Schnitzel Sandwich w/Pickled Red Onions & Savory Caper Spread
- Mrs. Mann's Steak & Sausage Pie
- Cheesy Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Sub
- Anthony Bourdain's Macau-Style Pork Chop Sandwich
- Pork Carnitas - Sliders and Tacos
Don't be afraid of your kitchen. Cooking shouldn't feel like a chore. Find the food you love, follow a recipe and share a meal with your loved ones. Treat yourself to amazing food right in the comfort of your own home. There's never been a better time to learn how to cook if you're new to all this. I have written instructions and videos for every recipe. I'll be with you every step of the way!
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Alex Guarnaschelli's Superb Pork Cutlets
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 5-7 cutlets 1x
Description
You simply must try Alex Guarnaschelli's superb pork cutlets.The saucy tomatoes with lemon, maple syrup and fresh basil is a winning combination.
Ingredients
- 5-7 pork cutlets (see note#1)
- 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup fine bread crumbs
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 Roma/plum tomatoes (or Campari see note #2)
- Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
- Juice from 2 large lemons
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
NOTE: TOTAL TIME DOES NOT INCLUDE REFRIGERATING CUTLETS FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING
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Instructions
- Be sure to watch the video with all the step-by-step instructions.
- Using a paring knife, cut the core tops out of your tomatoes then cut them into bite-sized pieces. I used Campari tomatoes which are smaller so quartering them worked well. Chef Alex’s recipe called for Roma/plum tomatoes, but they didn’t have any at the store so I went with Campari.
- We only need the yolks for this recipe so you’ll need to separate the egg yolks from the whites. You can keep the egg whites to make an omelet for yourself! Beat the yolks until well combined.
- Mix together the panko bread crumbs, the fine bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese.
- Season both sides of the pork cutlets with kosher salt and fresh pepper.
- Squeeze the juice from two large lemons.
- Dip the pork cutlets in the egg then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Put the breaded cutlets in a single layer on a plate or sheet pan. Once all the pork is breaded, refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking – I forgot to mention that in the video.
- I used two pans for this and used half the butter and olive oil in each pan so I could cook the cutlets all at once. If you do two batches in one pan – simply use half the butter & olive oil in each batch.
- Once the butter and olive oil are heated, Chef Alex recommended removing from the heat to add the pork. I turned the burner off, added the pork into both pans, then turned the heat to low-medium. Cook 4-5 minutes, then turn the cutlets. Cook 4-5 minutes on the other side. All should be golden brown and crispy now!
- Remove cutlets from pan and place on a paper towel-lined sheet pan or plate.
- Remove most of the fat from the pan and any lingering breadcrumbs that could burn if they get any more heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook 2-3 minutes until tomatoes soften. I didn’t touch them too much and did not stir. I did shake the pan around so the tomatoes moved ever-so-slightly.
- Add lemon juice and maple syrup and let it cook for a minute. I used a little bit more than 1 tablespoon of maple syrup here. You can taste and decide for yourself about that. Again, I didn’t stir the tomatoes, but did circle the pan around the burner.
- I plated the pork, spooned some of that incredible sauce over it and topped with fresh basil. So delicious!! Enjoy! You can sprinkle a bit more flaky salt on the cutlet and serve individually or on a platter.
Equipment
Calphalon Saute Pan with Lid (5QT)
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- The original recipe from the cook book was for 5 pork cutlets. I had to buy 7 because of the way they were packaged so I made them all. Chef Alex’s note said the cutlets should be from the top round or loin. What they had at the store was “Thin cut pork sirloin cutlets” so this is what I used and they were great!
- There were no Roma tomatoes (somehow) when I shopped for this recipe. The best looking tomatoes were Campari which I love. They are a bit expensive though so if you can get Roma do that.
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