Pork Chops with Pan Roasted Mushrooms and Chicory greens (costolette di maiale ai funghi)

(photo: simply pork cutlet with cremini mushrooms, white wine, butter, and rosemary)

Cutlets, or costolette in Italian, can be found in many food traditions around the planet, including French, Indian, Japanese, and, of course, Italian cuisines.  Cutlets can be made with veal/beef, chicken, pork, and even mutton.  Cutlets are usually prepared with a thin cut of meat and generally fried and, at times, coated with breadcrumb or flour.

The following recipe utilizes, bone in, pork chops that have been cut extra thin by our butcher.  My preffered side dish for Costolette di Maiale ai Funghi or Pork cutlets with mushrooms is sauteed chicory greens.

• 2 pounds of pork chops that have been sliced thin (essentially ask your butcher to take an ordinary, thick, pork chop and reduce the thickness by half)
• 1 large head of chicory greens (you can use dandelion greens as a substitute)
• 1 large package of cremini mushrooms 
• 1 medium sized red onion
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of good white wine
• 1-2 sprigs of rosemary
• A bit of butter (you choose the amount)

Take the pork chops that have been reduced in thickness and pound each side with a meat mallet.  I like to wrap the meat in plastic wrap prior to pounding it.  Your’re not looking for an ultra thin consistency but you certainly want to reduce the thickness of the meat.  Add salt and pepper to the flour and lightly coat each side of the pork.  Remove any excess flour from the meat.  In a large pan add extra virgin olive oil and set your flame to medium.  You’re looking to add just enough oil to coat the pan (you’re not going to be deep drying the pork chops).  Brown each side of the meat and remove to a plate.  

 

(photo: pounded and ready for the flour; notice the marbling and fat in the uncooked pork.  Look for pork with lots of fate and nice marbling or you’re bound to eat flavorless pork)

Cut the mushrooms into quarters and add fresh olive oil to the same large pan.  Add the chopped garlic, mushrooms, and salt and pepper.  Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to lose their moisture.  Add the pork chops and chopped rosemary to the pan and turn up the heat.  Saute for 2-3 minutes and add the white wine.  Add the butter and cook for 3-5 minutes.

 

(photo: chicory with red onion)

 

(photo: close-up of chicory with red onion)1

The chicory preparation begins by thoroughly washing the greens in cold water.  Cut the chicory into three 6 inch sections and set aside.  In a large pan, add olive oil, diced red onion, and chopped garlic.  Cook down the ingredients until soft and add the chicory along with a bit of water.  Add a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes.  Mix the ingredients well and add salt and pepper.  Remove to a serving bowl.