I sometimes make an extra chop just to have for lunch the next day. Heaven! If you can find thin cutlets in the market, snap them up. They cook so quickly that you can easily make this whole meal in about a half an hour. But alas, sometimes the best-laid plans go awry, as they did on the day I decided to make these. My usual thin cutlets weren’t available, so I bought boneless chops. The butcher volunteered to butterfly the chops and pound them flat for me, but I decided to do it myself to see how long it would take. And the answer is…not as long as I thought. It adds about 10 minutes to the overall prep time. Check out the instructions and photos in the recipe below to see how easy it is if you find yourself in this same predicament. Still, if time is of the essence, as it so often is in the middle of the week, look for thin cutlets, or ask the butcher at the meat counter to cut you some from a boneless pork loin. I would much rather you spend your time making the crispy shallots, which I think are essential for this dish. They are a Vietnamese staple and add a pop of flavor and crunch when sprinkled on these pork chops or whatever else you fancy – not unlike bacon bits!
6 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons red miso paste 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
For the crispy shallots:
1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 shallots
For the pork:
2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1 teaspoon salt Ground black pepper, to taste 4 boneless pork chops, or 8 thin boneless cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds) 4 large handfuls (6 ounces) baby spinach leaves
In a small (8-inch) skillet combine the oil and shallots. Place over medium heat and cook, watching carefully. The shallots will begin to bubble as they cook. Stir often, turning down the heat as necessary to keep the shallots from burning. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown and most of the bubbling has stopped. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain. Strain the oil through a fine meshed sieve to catch any small bits of shallot and set aside to for cooking the cutlets. (Any leftover oil from this recipe can be saved for other recipes.) To butterfly, make a deep, horizontal cut in each pork chop, stopping about 1/4 inch from the edge. Open the chop like a book. To pound, place each butterflied chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Set on a baking sheet. Add 2 or more cutlets to the pan in a single layer (leave room between them so they are not crowded.) Cook for 4 minutes, or until golden on the underside. Turn and cook on the other side for 4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to the oven to keep warm while you finish cooking all the cutlets and dress the spinach. Cut the chops in half if they are large, and set one on top of each plate of the spinach. Sprinkle with the crispy shallots and drizzle a little of the leftover dressing on each plate. (Any remaining dressing can be kept refrigerated for a week or so.)
