Breaded Pork Chops and Spring Vegetable Pilaf
Select your choice of fresh spring veggies for a pilaf to accompany crispy fried pork chops.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1/2-inch thick
- Salt and pepper
- Flour, for dredging
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel or fennel pollen
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for shallow frying
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup linguine, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup enriched white long-grain rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup blanched, thin green beans or asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces on angle
- 1/2 cup shelled peas or defrosted peas
- 3-4 scallions or spring onions, thinly sliced
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
Pound the chops a bit to tenderize; season liberally with salt and pepper. Coat in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs combined with the cheese, herbs and lemon zest. Shallow fry in EVOO over medium to medium-high heat until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Keep warm in a low oven on a baking rack set on a baking sheet.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepot; add the pasta and toast to deeply golden. Add the rice, stir in the stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables, stir, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes more. Fluff with a fork and serve alongside the chops and lemon wedges.
