Eenie, Meenie, Scaloppini

I found this super easy Pork Scaloppini recipe in an old issue of Cook's Country this weekend, and it sounded like a good, quick weeknight dinner. And of course, with my abundance of Costco spinach leaves, I had to have a salad to go with it! The honey-lemon vinaigrette I concocted tonight was inspired partly by Tyler Florence's warm spinach salad and partly by the lemon vinaigrette I made yesterday.

Pork Scaloppini
Ingredients:
4 Pork cutlets (1/4-inch thick)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Dried parsley

Directions:
Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook cutlets (in batches to avoid crowding pan, if necessary) until golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

Add garlic and additional 1 tablespoon butter to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, lemon juice, sugar, and any accumulated juices and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes (I also added a teaspoon of cornstarch to speed up the thickening process). Off heat, whisk in parsley. Pour sauce over cutlets. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Spinach Salad with Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add honey, vinegar, and lemon juice, and continue cooking until onions have caramelized, about another 5 to 7 minutes. Add spinach to skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute.


To tell you the truth, while this was a perfectly delicious dinner, I wasn't really wowed by it. I've had some huge hits lately, and this was just a little underwhelming. I don't think I got a good enough sear on the pork cutlets and the sauce was sort of bland. Plus, I remember absolutely loving egg noodles as a kid, but I don't think I like them anymore!

On a positive note, Bill cleared his plate in record time. So at least I made someone happy!