2 medium red onions, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound mesclun salad greens
3 large tomatoes, cored and diced
6 pork loin chops
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, clarified, or olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving
Brush each onion slice with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and grill or broil using high heat for 4 minutes per side, until nicely charred. Cool to room temperature.
Prepare a tossed salad by combining the mesclun, tomatoes, and grilled onions in a medium bowl. Do not dress the salad until just before serving.
Position a pork chop between 2 pieces of parchment paper and use a mallet to pound each to a ?-inch thickness, especially around the bone. Set aside and repeat with the remaining chops. Set out 3 shallow bowls: one containing the flour; one containing the milk and eggs, lightly beaten; and one containing the panko. Dredge the chops in the flour, tapping off the excess; dip in the milk-egg mixture; and then coat with the panko. Sprinkle each with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat a dry 12-inch sauté pan over a medium flame for about 1 minute, then add 3 tablespoons of the clarified butter or olive oil (or enough to coat the bottom of the pan). When the butter is hot, add 2 breaded pork chops. Brown each side well, about 4 minutes, and be ready to add more clarified butter to the pan if it appears dry. Plate the chops as they finish and continue cooking the rest.
Whisk the vinaigrette and dress the mesclun salad. Place a small heap of salad on top of each chop, and serve with lemon wedges to be squeezed over.
==== BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE ====
Makes 1 cup
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Modena balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Using either a bowl with a whisk or a jar with a lid, add the olive oil to the vinegar and whisk or shake to combine. Add about ? teaspoon of sea salt and several grindings of black pepper. Keep at room temperature until needed or refrigerate for up to a week. Whisk immediately before using.
Serves 6
==== LYNNE'S QUICK TIPS ====
* Panko, or Japanese-style bread crumbs, are thin and delicate with jagged edges. They give a light, crispy texture to fried foods. Find them in the Asian foods section of supermarkets and at Asian markets. Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place.
* Mesclun, or spring mix, is a varied mixture of tender, young greens that may include frisée, arugula, oak leaf lettuce, radicchio, mâche, dandelion greens and others. Many supermarkets now sell it in bulk. While the per-pound price is high, just a handful adds texture and flavor to ordinary salad greens.
