Good ole Panko

I shouldn't blog in the morning on an empty stomach...

This picture is making me very hungry.

While those may look like chicken fingers at first glance,

they are actually baked pork cutlets.

PS why do they call them Chicken Fingers???  Chickens don't have fingers...and they don't look like fingers...so weird!  

Which were really good, especially with the lemon butter dipping sauce.

I mean really...how could you go wrong!?!

However, next time I would add more seasonings to the breading..maybe garlic or onion powder.

The Spinach and mushroom sautee was really good,

something you could make as a side with any meal.

I used cremini mushrooms, because they are cheaper and easier to find, 

just in case you were wondering.

Always nice to find something that can be added to my repertoire of easy staple meals and sides.

Try this one out folks...its delicious!

ENJOY!

Baked Pork Cutlets with Sauteed Spinach and Shiitakes

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat

1 cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

S&P

2 T olive oil 

8 oz shiitake mushrooms (or whatever is on hand)

1 package (10oz) baby spinach

1-2 T white wine vinegar

3 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces 

1 shallot, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 T fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350.  Toast panko on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden, 10-12 min.  Transfer to a plate and raise oven temp to 450.

Cut pork crosswise into four equal pieces.  Split each piece in half horizontally; open up like a book.  Working with one piece at a time, use a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan to pound pork between large pieces of plastic wrap until 1/4 in thick.  (Honestly I skipped this step...it took my pork a lot longer to cook, but was still really good).

Place flour, eggs, and panko in separate shallow bowls, season each with S&P.

Dredge pork in flour, shake off excess.  Dip in eggs, and then coat with panko, pressing gently to adhere.  Bake on baking sheet until browned and cooked through, 10-12 min.

Meanwhile heat 1 T oil in large skillet over med heat.  Add mushrooms; season with S&P.

Cook, stirring occasionally until browned, 8-10 min.

Transfer to a plate. 

Heat remaining 1T oil, add spinach in batches tossing to wilt; season with S&P.

Cook tossing until tender, about 2 min.  Remove from heat; pour of excess liquid and toss with vinegar to taste.  Top with mushrooms and keep warm.

In a small saucepan, melt 1 T butter over med.  Cook shallot, stirring frequently until softened 3-4 min.  

Add wine: simmer until almost evaporated, about 4 min.  

Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and remaining 2 T butter; season with S&P.  Serve pork and spinach mixture with lemon butter sauce on the side.

Serves 4.

Logan Rating: ***