Recipes PORTUGUESE PERI PERI PORK SCHNITZEL

PORTUGUESE PERI PERI PORK SCHNITZEL

Prep 45 mins
Cooking 10 mins
Serves 2 - 4

For a seriously tasty family supper that appeals to young and old alike, very few things beat schnitzel. On the easy-and-speedy scale it scores a full 10 too, because it’s ready from start to finish in well under 15 minutes. At its simplest, schnitzel is just very thinly pounded meat, mostly chicken breast or pork fillet, dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs.

But while you’re at it, why not up the ante and introduce an extra flavour burst to this kitchen classic? Give the meat a good sprinkling of Cape Herb & Spice’s Portuguese Peri Peri Rub Seasoning, and instead of plain breadcrumbs rather blitz up some salty herbed crackers. Serve your schnitzels up with lemon wedges, a quick garlicky butterbean mash and micro herb salad and watch them beg for seconds...

- WHAT YOU WILL NEED -

  • 1 pork fillet
  • Cape Herb & Spice PORTUGUESE PERI PERI
  • 8 tbs flour mixed with a generous pinch of normal salt
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 x 200g packet of plain salted or savoury herbed crackers
  • vegetable oil for frying

- METHOD -

Slice the pork fillet in 3cm-thick medallions. Place each medallion between two pieces of cling film and use a rolling pin to whack them as thinly as possible – aim for no more than 3mm. Sprinkle each medallion liberally with Cape Herb & Spice Portuguese Peri Peri Rub and rub it in, then cover and set the meat aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Blitz the crackers in your food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. (Alternately, place them in a ziplock-bag and smash them with your rolling pin.) Pour the crumbs onto a large plate and mix through 2 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Portuguese Peri Peri Rub. Pour vegetable oil – 5cm deep – into a pot and preheat. Dip each pork medallion into the flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the egg and then into the salted crackers. Fry in the oil until golden and cooked. If your medallions are only 3mm thick, this takes no more than a minute!

If you want to make a simple butterbean mash - gently fry 2 cloves of crushed garlic, ½ tspn coriander and ¼ tspn cumin in 4 tbspn olive oil for a minute, taking care that it does not burn. Drain and rinse the tin of butterbeans, add them to the fragrant oil, heat through and mash. If it is a bit dry for your liking, simply add a splash of water.Taste for salt and add if needs be.

Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley.

Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za

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