Crispy Pork Schnitzel with Fresh Tomato Dill Sauce

In the height of tomato season, I am always looking for creative ways to make the most of the bounty. I can, I sauce, I freeze, I dry, I soup. And I use the other ingredients I find at the farmers market as much as I can too. So when I found myself with a few extra tomatoes and the rest of a bunch of dill from canning Dilly Beans, I figured I could make it into something. This sauce is a nice departure from the classic tomato basil combo, with a great fresh note from the celery and lots of spiffy fresh dill. The sauce can be used in any sauce situation, but I found myself with a craving for crispy schnitzel and this sauce makes a perfect pairing.

I think schnitzels are a wonderful summer dinner – the prep takes a little fiddling, but they are super quick to cook and can be made ahead, ready to fry up and serve. You can use the same technique for chicken breasts if you’d like. In summer, I love these with a simple green salad, rather than the more traditional, and to me more cold weather, mashed potatoes or dumplings. If you want to go the potato route, try a vinegary potato salad.

Crispy Pork Schnitzel with Fresh Tomato Dill Sauce

2017-08-04 12:37:22

Serves 4

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For the Sauce

1. 1 Tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 small onion, finely diced
3. 2 stalks celery, with a few leaves if possible, finely diced
4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
5. ½ cup white wine
6. 6 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
7. ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
8. salt and pepper to taste

For the Schnitzels

1. 4 thin-cut boneless pork chops
2. ½ cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 teaspoon paprika
4. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
5. 1 teaspoon black pepper
6. 1 egg
7. 1 Tablespoon milk
8. 1 cup panko bread crumbs
9. 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
10. olive oil for frying

For the Sauce

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and add the onions and celery. Sauté until the onions are glossy and the celery has softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a bubble and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, stir well and bring to bubble again. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and have released some liquid. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Transfer the tomatoes to a blender and blend to a rough, textured sauce. Scrape the sauce back into the pan, add the dill, salt and pepper and stir well. The sauce can be made several hours ahead at this point, covered and refrigerated. When ready to serve, heat through over medium heat, stirring to prevent scorching.

For the Schnitzel

1. Place the pork chops one at a time in a large zipper bag. Pound them to an even, thin piece about 1/ inch thick. Remove each chop to plate and continue with the next. In one shallow bowl or plate, mix together the flour, paprika, salt and pepper until evenly combined. Beat the egg with the milk in a second shallow bowl, and mix the panko and dill in a third. Dip each schnitzel in the flour, turning to coat evenly, then saking off any excess. Next, dip it evenly in the egg, then in the panko, pressing the crumbs evenly to cover the entire chop. Repeat with the remaining chops, placing them back on the plate as you finish. The chops can be loosely covered with plastic and refrigerated for several hours at this point if you’d like.
2. Put the oven on a low heat, just to keep the schnitzels warm as you go. Heat about 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add a schnitzel to the oil and let it crisp and brown for about three minutes, then flip it over and cook until crispy and browned on the other side. Remove to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while you continue with the remaining pieces. If there is a lot of burned residue in the pan between any chops, wipe it out, heat more oil and continue.
3. Serve each schnitzel topped with the warmed tomato dill sauce.

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