Pork Scallopini with a Porcini-Gorgonzola Pan Sauce

Actually, what you see pictured is more a schnitzel than a scallopini.  But I’m going to do something radical here, and suggest that you not do what I did.

We love a good schnitzel around here.  Pork tenderloin, chicken…I make a lot of schnitzel around here.  So I kind of went on auto-pilot here until it got time to dress it up a bit.  I’ve been working pretty hard, locked up in my office, and our meals haven’t been as elaborate as late.

As I was dredging the pork, I remembered the dried porcinis and gorgonzola in the fridge.  Immediate visions of this glorious pan sauce burned my third eye, and at that point I realized I had over-breaded.  Too much breading (and too much clean up too).

So, like I said, don’t do what I did.  A simple dip in some seasoned flour is all there is to it.

I cut a pork tenderloin into scallops and pounded each to thin & tenderize.  What I should have done from there is to dredge each piece in flour seasoned with salt, white pepper and a little cayenne.  That’s what I’ll do next time.

From there, heat a large heavy frying pan over med. high heat.  Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom, heat until shimmering, then lay the pork in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd.  (You may have to fry it in 2 batches.)  When golden on both sides, remove to a paper towel-lined plate and tent with foil.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.  Reduce to medium heat and add minced shallots.  Sweat until translucent, then add some garlic, cook 30 seconds, then deglaze with white wine.  Cook until almost dry, then add either some fresh porcini mushrooms or reconstituted dried porcinis, along with the soaking liquid.  Reduce again until almost dry.  Reduce the heat to low, pour in enough heavy cream to make a sauce, then add a generous amount of gorgonzola in small chunks and stir until melted and smooth.

Reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, finish with a knob of butter, then season to taste.

Serve immediately with a green salad and piece of garlic toast.

Our plates are garnished with some balsamic infused sea salt from the Vancouver Island Salt Co.  It adds a wonderful colour to the plate, and an extra spike of flavour.

A couple of nights after this dinner, I used this salt, with some fresh cracked pepper, to season some NY Strip steaks before pan-frying them — and that’s where this salt came into its own — fantastic taste that will have me using this on all our steaks, whether inside or on the barbecue.  It also helped to add an extra-deep caramelized colour to the meat.  I imagine this will also transform roasts.

Here on Pender, Vancouver Island Salt Co. products are available at Medicine Beach Market.  They are also available on-line and at big island and mainland stores.