Jollof Pork Schnitzel
Schnitzel is the culinary term for a thinly sliced or pounded filet of meat (chicken, pork, veal) that’s breaded and quickly fried. Schnitzels are easy weeknight meals—the filets are so thin they take just minutes to cook up—and are usually gently seasoned and family friendly. Then we added Jollof Rice Seasoning.
This fragrant, spicy seasoning adds peppery, herbal flavor and plenty of aromatic depth to a basic, cornstarch and breadcrumb dredge. Use a little bit more seasoning than you think you might need for this dish; frying it in butter can mellow the heat in the blend. Or, sprinkle just a touch of seasoning across the top of the schnitzels when you take them out of the pan, to amp up the flavor and heat. We chose pork for our dish but this will work equally well with chicken or veal. We also kept it gluten free by making our dredge with cornstarch and gluten free breadcrumbs, but feel free to use whatever kind of breading you like. Serve with a simple green salad and a wedge of fresh lemon, which really makes the flavors pop.
1 pound boneless pork chops, pounded very thin or butterflied open
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-2 Tablespoons Jollof Rice Seasoning, plus more to garnish
1-2 cups breadcrumbs of your choice, plus more if necessary
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2-4 Tablespoons butter, divided
Lemon wedges, to garnish
1. Pound pork chops until they are very thin, between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thickness, or slice them very thinly if you don’t have the space or equipment to pound the cutlets to the size you want.
2. Beat eggs with 1/4 cup water until fully combined.
3. Mix cornstarch with Jollof Rice Seasoning and place in a shallow dish. Pour egg mixture in a shallow dish next to the cornstarch. Pour one cup of breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and place it next to the other two dishes, then lay out a baking sheet or large plate so you have a place to lay your crumbed pork cutlets.
4. Taking one cutlet, dredge it in the cornstarch mixture, then dip in egg, then coat in breadcrumbs, and lay in the waiting pan. Continue with the cutlets until they are all coated.
4. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil and 2 Tablespoons of butter. Set out another large pan or plate, this time lined with paper towels. Melt butter and oil together and when they are hot enough, gently slide one or two prepared pork cutlets into the oil.
5. Cook, stirring pan lightly, until cutlets are golden brown on their undersides, 3-4 minutes. Flip once and let the other side cook, another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and lay on the plate covered with paper towels. Repeat for all prepared cutlets, adding more butter or oil if necessary.
6. Toss with more Jollof Rice Seasoning, if desired, and serve right away with a simple green salad and a wedge of lemon.
