Perfect Cutlet, Crisp Fennel Salad

just a few "secrets" take the quality from good to great.

If you’ve ever had a real Milanese or Schnitzel then you’ve experienced the delight of a no-frills crispy breading that allows the flavor of the meat to shine through uninhibited by dried herbs. There are three secrets to this breading that puffs, crisps and separates from the center. The first is a super fine breading, that means putting it in your food processor and running it for a minute or two, and then sifting it through a fine sieve. The second is adding a little bit of sparking water to the eggs, this helps give a little puff to that breading. The third is using plenty of neutral oil to fry, I’m talking 1”+ deep of oil. This oil should be at about 380ºF before you start frying, and you should shake the pan back and forth while frying so that fresh, hot oil is constantly coming over the top of the

cutlet. When paired with this light, refreshing fennel and pear salad - the balance of this dish is divine. That’s why it is worthy of Cook/Eat

serves 2, adjust accordingly

INGREDIENTS:

2, 8oz pork loins
1 cup extra fine bread crumbs 1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1oz sparkling water
salt and pepper
1qt+ veg/neutral oil
1 fennel
1/2 Bosc pear
1oz olive oil
1oz apple cider vinegar
2tsp dijion mustard
3oz parmigiano

EQUIPMENT:

food processor
3, 1/4 sheet trays or plates

mandolin
large pan for frying
spider
large mixing bowl for salad vegetable peeler
small mixing bowls
funnel

STEPS:

Prepare the salad, remove the stem-tops of the fennel and set aside, thinly cut the fennel bulbs and place into the mixing bowl. Now thinly slice the fennel stems and add them as well.

Cut the pear in half and thinly slice on the mandolin, add it to the mixing bowl. Shave some Parmigiano with a vegetable peeler into small mixing bowl on the side, add this just before serving so it don’t get soggy.

Prepare the dressing, in a small mixing bowl add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard salt and pepper, mix well and add to the salad so the acid can preserve the pears from oxidizing.

Make the breadcrumbs fine: In a food processor, blend the breadcrumbs for 1-2 min. For extra- fine breadcrumbs, you can pass them through a mesh sieve, as if you were sifting flour.

Set up the dredging station, flour in one 1/4 sheet tray, 2 eggs beaten not super well + sparkling water in the next and the fine breadcrumbs in the last.

Bring the oil up to temp, add at least 1” of oil in a large pan and bring the temp up to 380oF

Prepare the pork (this can be chicken breast, thigh or even long thin slices of eggplant) Remove and discard all of the fat on the edge, this won’t pound thinly. Between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, use a heel of a frying pan, or the flat side of a mallet to gently spread out and make one thickness out of the whole chop. 1/4” is ideal. Liberally salt and pepper both sides, repeat with the second chop.

One at a time, add the meat to the flour, coat well, then to the egg, it should stick from the flour, finally into the breadcrumbs. Coat both sides well, then shake off the excess.

Check your oil temp with a thermometer or by adding some flour to the oil, it should sizzle immediately.

Cook, Gently slip the cutlet into the oil, slowly lower the it down then place it into the oil away from you. now vigorously, but gently so as not to spill, shake the pan back and forth for 1 minute. You’re allowing that hot oil to come up and overtop, creating that amazing breadcrumb texture.

Flip the cutlet, slide the spider underneath lift it just out of the oil, with your other hand, stabilize the cutlet as you prepare to flip it over, do it gently so there’s no splash. Continue cooking for about two minutes or until both sides are golden brown. Because the chop is so thin, it will be cooked in this time, so the breadcrumb color is the priority/indicator of doneness.

Remove the cutlet and set aside on a rack or paper towel, repeat with the second cutlet. Serve: Add the cheese to the salad and serve a heap of the salad along side the perfect cutlet.

Allow the fry oil to cool, then filter it back into the oil bottle through the fry oil filter that comes with the funnel. I like to write the date I fried on the bottle each time I fry and limit myself to between 3-6 uses depending on the degradation.

Send me a photo of your results!