Recipe: Pork Cotoletta with Italian Coleslaw

Try the best of Italian cooking at the comfort of your home with this Pork Cotoletta with Italian Coleslaw recipe. These pork cutlets are cooked freshly with a breadcrumb, egg and parmesan crumb, accompanied with an authentic Italian coleslaw made with basil, mint and watercress.  Download the recipe HERE.

 

(Serves 2)

Ingredients (For the pork)

• 4 x 260-280g loin of pork cutlets from good quality organic free
  range pork. (Ask your butcher to remove the skin from the cutlets &
  scrape the bones clean!)
• 3 large free range eggs
• 80ml milk
• 60g (about ½ cup) plain flour
• 160g panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
• 20g (1 tablespoon) freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 20g (¼bunch) parsley leaves, picked & washed, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Sea salt & freshly milled black pepper
• 120ml canola oil
• 80g unsalted butter
• 4 large Lemon wedges

Ingredients (For the coleslaw)

• 300g (about ¼ of a small) cabbage cut into fine julienne
• 40g (½ bulb) baby fennel, thinly sliced on a mandoline (vegetable slicer)
• 20g (½ of a small) red onion, thinly sliced
• 40g (2-3 small) radishes, thinly sliced on a mandoline (vegetable slicer)
• 20g (¼bunch) basil leaves, picked & washed
• 20g (¼bunch) mint leaves, picked & washed
• 20g (¼bunch) parsley leaves, picked & washed
• 20g (1 tablespoon) tiny salted capers, rinsed in cold water, drained
• 20g (1 tablespoon) freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 20g (¼bunch) watercress, picked & washed
• 80g baby peas, podded & blanched
• 10ml (2 teaspoons) chilli oil
• 40ml (2 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 80ml (4 tablespoons) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Freshly milled black pepper to taste & a generous pinch of sea salt

 

Method (For the Pork)

Step 1

Use a meat tenderizer to flatten each pork cutlet (sandwiching the meat between 2 freezer bags will assist, or ask your butcher to do this). You want the meat to be no more than 10mm thick

Step 2

Beat the eggs & milk together with a pinch of salt & a couple of turns of the pepper mill

Step 3

Mix the crumbs with the lemon zest, parsley & parmesan, add a pinch of salt & a couple of turns of the pepper mill

Step 4

Lightly dust the cutlets in the flour, then coat them with the egg, the coat them with the crumbs, taking care to press the crumbs on firmly

Step 5

Place the crumbed cutlets on a tray in the fridge until you are ready to cook them

Step 6

When you are ready to cook (after making the coleslaw below), heat 2 large frypans ( or cook them in 2 batches in 1 large frypan, if that is all you have, keeping the cooked cotolettas warm in a low oven while cooking the second batch!)

Step 7

Add the oil & heat until a few crumbs sizzle when dropped in. Add the butter & as it is melting add the cotolettas & cook until golden brown, for about 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn them over & give them another 3-4

 

Method (For the coleslaw)

Step 1

Place all the prepared vegetables, herbs & cheese in a large bowl & toss together.

Step 2

Add the oils, lemon juice, salt & pepper & toss again

Step 3

Taste & adjust the seasoning if necessary

Step 4

Divide between 4 large plates by piling up the ingredients high, making sure you get all the small pieces that fall to the bottom of the bowl!