Pork Cutlets With Lemon and Capers

Meat, breaded and fried, is a can’t-lose dinner proposition from Milan to Texas and back. Here pork loin is pounded thin, dipped in flour and beaten egg, then coated in bread crumbs and shallow-fried until golden and crisp. A little messy to make? Yes, but less so than you’d think. Accompanied by a mixture of chopped parsley, lemon zest and capers and a sprinkling of chopped egg, it’s an elegant weeknight splurge. But a wedge of lemon is all the garnish a well-fried cutlet really needs.

Ingredients

• 4 slices center cut pork loin, 1/2-inch thick and about 4 ounces each
• Salt and pepper
• 1 ½ cups soft bread crumbs, divided 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup roughly chopped parsley
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 2 eggs, hard-cooked for 8 minutes, cooled and peeled
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    1310 calories; 107 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 65 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 71 grams protein; 388 milligrams cholesterol; 370 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 servings

Preparation

1. With a meat mallet, pound pork slices to flatten slightly. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle a baking sheet or platter with bread crumbs. Dust pork slices with flour on both sides, then soak in beaten egg for 2 minutes. Using a fork or tongs, remove pork slices one at a time from egg mixture and place on top of crumbs. Sprinkle tops of slices with more bread crumbs, then turn over and sprinkle again so each slice is well coated. (They may be prepared up to this point an hour ahead and refrigerated, uncovered.)
3. Mix together parsley, lemon zest and capers in a small bowl. Chop hard-cooked egg and set aside.
4. Pour olive oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet (or use two pans to avoid crowding). Turn heat to medium high. When oil looks wavy, carefully place cutlets in pan and fry for 2 minutes, until golden. (Reduce heat if necessary.) Turn and cook for 2 minutes on other side, then remove and drain on paper towel. Season fried cutlets lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Arrange cutlets on a warm platter. Sprinkle with parsley mixture, then with chopped egg. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

30 minutes