Pork Cutlet - yes I'll eventually get tired of these but it hasn't happened yet.

This meal almost feels like cheating because I don't have to season and coat the cutlet. I put the potatoes on to boil first then set the carrots and broccoli in the steamer.  I cooled the veggies under running water when they were almost done so I could put finish them in olive oil, salt and pepper. The mashed potatoes were finished with salt, butter and light cream.  Plain old apple sauce is the condiment. A quick salad on the side.

Vinaigrette

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp walnut oil

1 tsp canola oil

2 tsp red wine vinegar

pinch salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

few drops Worcestershire Sauce

This slightly more complicated vinaigrette was a nice change, I'll make it again.

Everything was perfect for a change, creamy potatoes, crisp vegetables and tasty pork. 

Marinated Pork Stir Fry

We had tiger prawns on penne pasta yesterday so I looked for pork cutlets at Save On again but no luck. I picked up a pound of pork stir fry pieces instead. When I got home I took a cue from Mitchell's meat counter and made souvlaki. This was my best marinade yet! I've been buying breaded pork cutlets because I couldn't do better yet. This is better. A lot better.

Pork Marinade

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp mustard powder

1 tbsp olive/canola oil

2 tsp lemon juice

I think they marinated for 2 or 3 hours. I fried them in a large pan, making sure the thick pieces were cooked all the way through. Served with mashed potatoes and steamed carrot and broccoli that were finished in olive oil and salt. Just before plating I threw the green onions into the pork. Then plated everything. No salad so there's a heap of vegetables. 

The meat was absolutely wonderful. The caramelized  mustard pushed it up a notch or two.

Breaded Pork Cutlet

I'm getting really good at cooking these things. All the breading stays on both sides, amazing what a little practice can do. I think the plating is on the bus heading for downtown now. I tried something new with the rice.  I put half a cup of rice, cup of water and packet of Bovril Chicken Stock. Then when it was ready I folded in some fresh green onions. The carrots and frozen peas were cooked together in the microwave and finished with butter and salt. The condiment is apple sauce from a jar. The simple salad is from a bag and I made a simple dressing.

Vinaigrette

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp walnut oil

1 tsp canola oil

1-2 tsp raspberry vinegar

big pinch salt

The rice was such a nice change that the frozen peas managed slide past without being noticed. A really nice easy meal.

Snapper With Carrot Salad

I went to the store intending to buy sole fillets only to find that sole was dear and snapper was on special. So of course I bought snapper! I checked the dates on the package and pressed the fish with a finger. Fresh fish will spring back when you press it. Rotting fish will retain the finger depression. If you buy the rotting fish it will taste unpleasantly fishy no matter how well it's prepared. These fillets had not even a hint of fishy taste. I seasoned them with salt, mixed pepper and dried thyme and fried them in plenty of oil.

I boiled the potatoes and steamed the broccoli. When the broccoli started to soften I ran it under cold water to stop cooking then when the fish went in the pan the broccoli went back in the pot with olive oil to reheat. 

The carrot salad was simply a carrot shredded, 1/2 cup dried apricots diced small, 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted. A sprig of parsley diced finely. Fern doesn't like sweet dishes unless they are dessert so I had to be careful with the vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp walnut oil

1 tsp canola oil

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

salt

Balance the sweetness of the carrots with the vinegar and it will all taste wonderful. Fern even said he would like that salad again and he doesn't usually like carrot salads. This fish was perfectly delicious.

Turkey Roll

Why turkey just before Christmas? It was on special and I needed dog food. Lucky dog. I seasoned it with salt, mixed pepper and poultry seasoning and brushed it with oil. I put bay leaves and some rosemary springs on top and put it in a 350º oven for 2 1/4 hours. 

I also diced up a turnip and carrot and boiled them for an hour then mashed with butter. Frozen peas done in the microwave. Uncle Ben's traditional stuffing mix instead of potatoes. A small side salad.

Vinaigrette

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp raspberry vinegar

salt

mixed pepper

Whisk and toss the salad in it and plate.

It was delicious and the dog is ecstatic.

Breaded Pork Cutlet

I'm getting pretty good at this meal, Save On Foods breaded pork cutlet. I managed to keep the breading on the meat on both sides. Those nugget potatoes are a really nice change from mashed. Brussel's Sprouts were steamed, cooled under cold water and reheated in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Plain old apple sauce for condiment. The secret to frying is to get the pan hot before food goes in it. The bottom should be covered with oil and 1-3 teaspoons should collect on the edge when the pan is tilted.

Vinaigrette

2 tsp olive/canola oil

1 tsp raspberry vinegar (or any vinegar or lemon juice)

pinch salt

mixed ground pepper

Whisk, drop in salad fixing, toss and serve. 

The cutlet was crunchy, potatoes buttery, sprouts firm and tasty and the salad was from a bag so I can't expect too much from it.  Even so, it's great to finish a meal with a small salad. My middle age digestive tract loves it. 

I had this ready in twenty minutes but had to hold off finishing because Fern was taking a nap. That is almost as fast as fast-food! 

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Lots of vegetables, that is what we both need at this time of year. A stir fry is one of the easiest ways to get lots of vegetables into one meal. I finely diced half a small onion and started sweating it.  I diced the chicken breasts, other half onion, a stick of celery, a carrot, green pepper, 6 mushrooms and baby bok choy. I put a heaping teaspoon of flour on the chicken pieces and toss them around in it to coat them. 

First I sweated and slightly browned the finely diced onion.  Then I added the floured meat. When the meat had a light sear all around I took it from the pan. Next I seared the mushrooms and cooked the carrot in the microwave when the rice was done. I slowly added all the ingredients and kept tossing them. I added a few drops of fish sauce and some sesame oil. When the green pepper was softening I added the meat back in.  A handful of cashews. and finally some soy sauce to season the whole thing.  

This was a great meal and we'll finish it off for lunch. It works well with leftover turkey as well!