Friday, October 18, 2013

Chardonnay Chanterelles with a Pork Cutlet


I had pork in mind when I went to the store but wasn't sure exactly what to get.  I felt like a loin roast but there weren't any so I settled on a couple of tenderized pork loins. They were very lean, which Fern likes. I had chanterelle mushrooms courtesy of our gardener Kevin. I planned to fry the mushrooms then take them out and fry the chops. Then I'd make sauce in the pan with white wine and mushrooms.

I started by blending the last of my chiabatta into bread crumbs to coat the cutlet and prepping the potatoes, vegetables and mushrooms. It is so much easier to cook when everything is ready to go before the first pan hits the stove. 

The potatoes started boiling and the steamer was warming up.  I fried the mushrooms in a little oil and butter with a pinch of salt then removed them from the pan. I seasoned the cutlet with salt and mixed pepper then coated it in corn flour. Dipped it in beaten egg and dredged in the bread crumbs then laid it in a hot frying pan. I used my 12 inch pan on a large burner at medium high heat on my electric stove.

I used to think food stuck to the pan because it was too hot, but it sticks when the pan isn't hot enough. The pan must be oily and hot enough to instantly cook the coating as it hits the pan. It can then float on the thin film of oil without sticking. Shaking the pan periodically keeps it from burning to one spot. 

I plated the pork when the second side was done and put a teaspoon of flour in the pan.  I fried it a bit in the oil to cook off the raw flour taste then added a quarter cup chicken stock and half a cup of white wine. While the wine reduced I strained the vegetables and put them in the pot with olive oil on a medium low burner to cook the bitterness off. Then I drained the potatoes and mashed and whipped them with a fork. 

Finally the mushrooms went in the sauce to warm up while I plated the potatoes and vegetables.  I placed the mushrooms between the pork and potato so both could benefit from the delicate flavour.


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