Food Musings

Pork Tenderloin is such a versatile meat that goes with everything from Asian food to dishes with a French style.  Usually you receive the tenderloin packaged in plastic and when you open the package there are two pieces.  Since I’m typically cooking for two I like to use the two pieces in 2 different ways for different dinners through the week.  Last week I redid a recipe that I published a few years ago with Pork Loin slices and used the smaller piece of a Pork Tenderloin instead.  (The larger piece was used for a Pork stir fry recipe that I’ll publish soon.)

The result was a quick and easy meal that was delicious.  The Thyme butter sauce gives this simple pork meal an upscale feel so you can serve it at dinner parties too.  The leftovers were tasty for lunch the next day…especially with the Roasted Potato and Green Bean Salad. Photo shown below is the Pork Loin Chop version with Roasted Potato and Green Bean Salad.

Pork Cutlets with Thyme Butter Sauce

Inspired by a Veal recipe in Bon Appetit – March 2006

4 servings

• 1 small pork tenderloin, cut to 1/2-inch thickness  cutlets
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried french thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• 8 tablespoons (about) chilled butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, divided
• olive oil
• 4 tablespoons whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place panko in large paper plate. Place flour in another paper plate. Whisk eggs just to blend in a medium bowl. Working in batches, coat pork loin chops in flour, then egg, then panko, pressing gently to adhere. Place on rimmed baking sheet. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding more butter by tablespoonfuls as needed, cook pork until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until pork temp reaches just below 140.  Let rest in pan.

Place wine, broth, thyme, mushrooms and shallots in heavy large skillet. Cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced almost to glaze, about 10 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly and blending well between additions. Whisk in cream. Remove from heat.   Add Pork cutlets to pan and drizzle some sauce over them.  Sprinkle with Chives.

*Available at many supermarkets and at Asian markets.