ROSEMARY PANKO PORK CUTLETS WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Ciao Bella|Pork

Ingredients

The Romesco Sauce:

2 large red bell peppers

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

¼- ⅓ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 slices hearty white bread

¾ cups walnuts or almonds

⅓ cup fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

½-1 cup water

The Cutlets:

2 ½ – 3 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1” ‘chops’

½ – ¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, stemmed and chopped

3 cups panko breadcrumbs

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

2 eggs beaten

¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

To make the sauce, cut the peppers in half and remove the stems. Place them cut-side-down on the baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves and tomatoes to the pan and drizzle all over with the olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes and remove the pan from the oven. Place the bread on the edges of the pan (you want them to toast in the oven so do not place in any liquid on the pan) and sprinkle the walnuts (or almonds) all over. Bake for another 10 minutes until everything is lightly charred and the bread is toasted. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Tear the toasted bread into pieces and place them in a food processor or blender. Add everything off the baking sheet to the blender including any juices that have formed on the foil.

Add the fresh parsley, lemon juice, remaining teaspoon of salt, and ½ cup of the water to the blender and pulse, pulse, pulse until well blended. Add more water as needed to reach the desired consistency (thicker for a dip and a little thinner for a sauce).

To make the cutlets, Place each pork chop in a large ziplock bag and pound with a mallet to an even ½” thickness all over. Season the cutlets with the salt and pepper on both sides.

Create a breading station by combining the rosemary, panko, and parmesan in a pie plate or shallow baking dish and beating the eggs in another pie plate or baking dish.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dip the cutlet in the egg and then press firmly into the panko mixture to coat. Place them in the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and just cooked through (about 145 degrees). Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm until ready to serve. You will need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Serve the cutlets over your favorite side dish – rice, potatoes, quinoa, etc… (I made orzo tossed with lemon, spinach, and parmesan here), topped with loads of that delicious romesco sauce. DEVOUR!!

Romesco is a versatile Spanish sauce best served as a dip for bread/veggies, a spread for sandwiches/burgers, a sauce for grilled meats (chicken, pork, lamb, steak) or seafood (fish, shrimp, octopus), or tossed with pasta for a smoky alternative to marinara; it also elevates roasted vegetables, eggs, grain bowls, and even pizza.