Pork Milanese with Creamy Lemon-Caper Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've barely made a dent in that near yard-long pork loin from the warehouse store. So, today I thought I'd whittle away at it and make cutlets that can be used in a recipe for pork Milanese. I really think you'll like this dish. I know we did. The recipe was developed by Giada De Laurentis and while the cutlet portion of it holds no surprises, her creamy lemon and caper sauce is a delicious keeper that you'll be able to use with other dishes as well as this one. While I'm posting the recipe as it was written, I made a few changes to the version I used for our supper tonight. I used panko rather than seasoned bread crumbs because it has fewer additives and I think it makes a crisper coating. I don't miss the powdered cheese or chemical feast that comes with the commercial mixture. They just aren't my cup of tea. If you wish, finely grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning can be added to the panko, but I rarely bother to do that. I had to use a bit of extra oil to cook the cutlets. I don't have a skillet large enough to hold six chops, so I had to cook them in batches and needed extra oil in order to do that. I also made my own mascarpone cheese using the recipe I found here. It takes at least a day to make the cheese, so if the cost savings of the homemade product appeals to you, remember you'll be trading time for money. There is, however, a truly significant cost savings to be had here. A honey-mustard sauce would also be lovely with these cutlets. I'm adding the recipe to my rotation, but in the future I'll serve the cutlets on good rolls with lots of the sauce and shredded iceberg lettuce. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. This is a delicious dish. Here's the recipe.

Pork Milanese with Creamy Lemon-Caper Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients:

Lemon-Caper Sauce

2/3 cup mascarpone cheese

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup capers, drained and chopped

1 lemon, zested

1 tablespoon fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PorkCutlets

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 thin-cut (1/2-inch thick) pork chops

Directions:

1) To make Lemon-Caper Sauce: Combine mascarpone and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Slowly stir in milk and mix until mixture is smooth. Add capers, lemon zest, parsley and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.

2) To make Pork Cutlets: Whisk flour, salt and pepper together in a shallow dish. Crack eggs into another shallow dish and beat until combined. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl. Pound pork chops to 1/4-inch thickness. Season chops with salt and pepper. Dip cutlets, one at a time first in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil shimmers, place breaded chops in pan and cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with sauce. Yield: 4 servings.