Pounding bone-in pork chops schnitzel-thin before pan-frying means they cook in just 5 minutes and the meat stays tender within the crispy panko-and-ground-fennel crust.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground fennel
- kosher salt
- pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 cup panko
- 4 8-ounce bone-in pork rib chops, meat pounded 1/8 inch thick
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 fennel bulbs (1 1/4 pounds), cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chopped pitted olive-cured olives
- 1 Fuji apple, finely chopped
- lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
- In a shallow dish, mix the flour and ground fennel; season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, beat the egg. In a third shallow dish, spread the panko and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the pork in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the pork in the egg, then dredge in the panko to coat. Place the pork on a large plate.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add 2 of the chops and cook over moderately high heat until golden, 2 minutes. Flip the chops, add another 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook until just golden on the outside and white throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chops to a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the skillet. Repeat the process to fry the remaining 2 pork chops.
- Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the fennel and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until light golden and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and olives and cook until the olives are warm, about 1 minute. Stir in the apple and season with salt and pepper. Divide the pork chops among 4 plates and top with the fennel mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.
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Recipe Credit: Kay Chun
Image Credit: Con Poulos
