Piccata Inspired Supper

Hello Thursday! Today is the 16th day of March – just one more day till Saint Patrick’s Day. Let’s face it, aside from the Lenten Journey, Saint Patrick’s Day is the highlight of March. It’s that magical time of the year when we are all a bit Irish here in America. But then again, the same can be said for Cinco de Mayo – when we all embrace our Mexican inner child.

Today is also National Artichoke Day. That’s good news for Kiddo and I, since we like artichokes, but not so thrilling for Hubby. As my cousin once described him, he’s a selective eater. I like that term better than picky. He knows what he likes, and selects his foods accordingly. When it comes right down to it, we are all selective to one degree or another.

Now since today also happens to be a Thursday, for those of you who have been around awhile, you know that unless preempted by a Holiday or Feast Day within the Church, it’s Tuscan Thursday. That means it’s the day of the week when anything Italian goes. Or anything we Americans think of as Italian.

One of my all-time favorite dishes has to be Veal Piccata. We haven’t had it in years. When we lived in Las Vegas, there was a restaurant at the Rio – Antonio’s – that had the most amazing Veal Piccata. While I’ve found places since that serve a decent Veal Piccata, none can compare. Even when prepared at home, it’s not the same. I really think it has to do with the veal itself. I don’t think we can buy the same milky perfect veal these days. And please, don’t start on me about the poor baby calf. The harsh reality is that baby calf is going to be eaten sooner or later.

A great substitute for veal is pork. When prepared properly, it can have that same milky flavor. This recipe for Pork Piccata, using thin pork chops, is pretty darn good. And naturally, you cannot have an Italian Inspired Supper without a great supporting cast of side dishes. Rosemary kissed potatoes are perfection. And I’ve been experimenting with my Air-Fryer – a gift this year for Christmas from Kiddo. Air-Fryer French Fries is amazing. But thus far, I love the results with Asparagus best. Be it simple, as in today’s dish, or with a lot more seasoning. The asparagus come out perfect every time.

Hope you have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

Italian Pork Chops Piccata Style
1 Lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 cup Parsley, snipped
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
1-1/2 tablespoons Capers, rinsed
1/2 cup Flour
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
6 thin Pork Chops
4 tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup White Wine
1/4 cup Chicken Stock

Heat oven to 300-degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil, spray with cooking spray and set aside.

Zest and juice lemon, set both aside. Snip parsley, set aside. Pell and thinly slice shallot, breaking into thin rings, set aside. Rise capers, set aside.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat; add butter. When the butter begins to sizzle, scatter shallots into the skillet. Lay pork chops over the shallows. Cook chops until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork chops to the prepared baking pan. Cover with foil and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

To the pan with the toasted shallots, add wine and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, zest and capers. Let simmer on low until ready to serve.

Remove from chops from the oven. Pour Piccata Sauce over the chops, garnish with parsley and enjoy.

Italian Skillet Potatoes
6 medium-small Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into wedges
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Scrub potatoes, cut into wedges. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water. Season with salt. Bring potatoes to a boil, let cook for about 6 minutes until almost cooked through. Drain well.

While the potatoes parboil, peel and flatten garlic cloves, set aside. Mince fresh rosemary, set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add smashed garlic, let cook about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove cloves with a slotted spoon; chop and reserve for the potatoes.

Once the potatoes have parboiled, add to the skillet with the garlic-infused oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Scatter rosemary over the potatoes, toss and let cook another minute or 2 for the rosemary to impart flavor. Add minced garlic, toss and serve.

Air-Fryer Asparagus
1 lb Asparagus, trimmed
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Rinse asparagus, trim wooded ends, leaving spears about 8-inches long. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, set aside.

Spray basket of air-fryer with cooking spray, heat basket at 400-degrees for about 5 minutes. Pause fryer, remove basket. Spread asparagus out in the basket, drizzle with lemon juice.

Return to air-fryer and fry for about 6 minutes. Pause, remove basket, check for doneness. Shake basket, let cook another minute or 2 until tender with bits of char for that smoky pan-charred flavor.

Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.

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Come let us praise God with joy; let us sing unto the Lord