Lemon pork chops with a crispy breadcrumb crust

Lemon pork chops with a crispy breadcrumb crust are a delicious dish, combining the freshness of citrus fruit with the crispiness of the breading. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 pork or veal chops
• 2 organic lemons
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 50 g of flour
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly chopped rosemary
• Garlic powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by washing the lemons and grating the zest, taking care not to grate the white part, which is bitter.
2. In a wide bowl, thoroughly mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan, grated lemon zest, a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your liking, and finely chopped rosemary.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
4. Dredge the chops first in flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing well to adhere the breading.
5. Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and once hot, cook the breaded chops until they reach a crispy golden brown on both sides.
6. Near the end of cooking, you can add the juice of one of the lemons to give an extra touch of freshness to the dish.
7. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve the chops hot, preferably with a light side such as a fresh salad or grilled vegetables. The lemon juice and zest will not only impart a distinctive flavor to the breading but will also tenderize the chops, making them juicier.

Curiosity

The practice of breading meat, besides making the dish tastier with its crispiness, has very ancient origins and was a method used to better preserve meat and to make it more palatable when the quality was not the best. In the case of lemon chops, the addition of citrus is a typical embellishment of Mediterranean cuisine, which aims to enhance meats with fresh and aromatic ingredients.