Elevated Tenderized Pork Cutlet

I was planning on chicken but when I got the store there wasn't a bone in breast packaged singly. There was a tenderized pork cutlet and I looked and thought, "Can I elevate that? Let's try." I grabbed the pork and headed home.

I was reaching for a potato when I remembered that Stove Top stuffing in the cupboard.  If I have stuffing instead of potatoes, the dogs finish off the excess and love it and I don't have to peel potatoes! So that's what I did.  I have realized lately that two vegetables on the plate make it look confused. A single cooked vegetable with a salad looks better and is more satisfying over all. I was pairing it with frozen corn which is difficult to do wrong. I did finish the corn with salt and butter instead of olive oil.

To elevate the chop I set out some flour with a bit of corn flour and added a sprinkle of salt.  I put out another bag with panko like bread crumbs made from my ciabatta and added salt to that as well.  My coatings usually lack salt so this time I decided to season the egg dip instead.  One egg, salt, mixed pepper, dried thyme and whisk it up.  I coated the meat with the flour mixture then dipped it in the egg. I got as much egg on it as I could, then rolled it in the bread crumbs and dropped it into hot oil in a frying pan. The pan was too hot initially so it had a small amount of scorching on the breading but it didn't affect the overall taste. The condiment is Fern's home made ketchup made with tomatoes, pears and onions. Yummy!

I whipped up a quick vinaigrette of olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a dot of dijon mustard. Two parts oil to one part wine vinegar .  Whisk it up and toss the salad in it. 

When I tasted the cutlet I just stopped and was amazed.  It was crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.  It had enough salt so the corn flour and thyme flavours came through. Even my Ciabatta bread crumbs added flavour.  It was delicious. The best pork cutlet I've ever had. Finally I succeeded in elevating a humble ingredient. I'm not quite ready for Chopped Canada, but I'm getting closer!