Crisp Pork Medallions in Creamy Caper Sauce

Okay - this is sort of cheating, as I didn't cook the recipe...I asked my housekeeper to make it for dinner over the weekend. But it was really tasty!

CRISP PORK MEDALLIONS WITH CREAMY CAPER SAUCE

ingredients

For sauce
2/3 cup plain yogurt (6 oz; preferably whole-milk)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons drained bottled capers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For pork
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lb pork tenderloin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
About 1 cup vegetable oil for panfrying

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Accompaniment: lemon wedges; watercress or other baby greens

preparation

Make sauce:
Stir together all sauce ingredients in a bowl until combined, then chill, covered, until ready to use.

Cook pork:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut pork crosswise into 1 1/4-inch-thick slices (medallions).

Whisk together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.

Whisk together eggs with a pinch of salt in another shallow bowl and put bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl.

Working with 1 medallion at a time, dredge medallions in flour, shaking off excess, and dip in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat with crumbs, pressing to help them adhere. Arrange pork in 1 layer on a baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then panfry medallions, turning over once, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and roast in oven until thermometer inserted horizontally into center of meat registers 145 to 150°F, 6 to 7 minutes.

Serve pork with sauce, lemon wedges, and watercress.

Gourmet, March 2007

Quick Kitchen

tw notes: Substitutions

• we used cilantro instead of parsley (because its not available here)
• panko flakes were used instead of breadcrumbs