Brussel Sprouts and Schnitzel

Whoa Boy! We got a large box this week from SLO Veg, and boy is it a lot of food! This is what they dropped off this week:

Fruit, Vegetable, Herb, and Juice List for 11/04/2013 - 11/08/2013  
THIS WEEK'S TOTE INCLUDES:
New Specialty Item ~ 'Organic" Watercress, Red Leaf Lettuce, "Organic" Carrots, "Organic" Oregano, Golden Beets, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Blue Lake Green Beans, Shanghai Bok Choy, Broccoli Crowns, Red Bell Peppers, Anaheim Peppers, Haas Avocado's, Sweet Oro Blanco Grapefruit, Black Beauty or Crimson Red Grape.

I took some grapes to work in my lunch box today, and what a sweet treat! They are  crisp and delicious! We also got a cute little oregano plant! But I really wanted to dive into the brussel sprouts! You know, those things Lee detests, but then discovered are actually delicious when roasted and seasoned with bacon and mustard, his two favorite flavors? I brought up the SLO Veg recipe for brussels and substituted bacon for prosciutto.
Then I used fresh thyme from my live plant SLO Veg had sent us a few months ago to infuse the cooking oil for my Schnitzel--yum! Best dinner I have made in weeks!

Pork Schnitzel

Recipe from Tyler Florence, my favorite recipe writer

Ingredients

Infusion of Thyme in the cooking oil

4 boneless pork loin chops (about 5 to 6 ounces each)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
4 cups plain dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 sprig thyme
Lemon wedges

Directions

Begin by placing each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pounding them out with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until they are an even 1/4-inch thick.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs and milk in another shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Put the bread crumbs in a third dish and again season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg and finally into the bread crumbs, pressing the bread crumbs onto the pork gently so they have a nice even coating.

Lay the breaded pork cutlets in a single layer on a plate lined with parchment and refrigerate, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the coating to dry out a little and adhere to the pork.

Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thyme sprig and let it fry for about 1 minute to infuse the oil. Remove the thyme sprig and reserve. Gently lay the cutlets into the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and transfer to a serving platter while still hot. Garnish with lemon wedges and the fried thyme sprig before serving.

Read more at:  

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pork-schnitzel-recipe/index.html

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Creamy Mustard Sauce with Prosciutto and Cranberries 

recipe from SLO Veg collection

Serves 8-10
45 minutes to prepare
 
2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 TBS butter, melted and divided
3 TBS olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped bacon pieces
1/2 cup minced shallots (about 2 medium)
3 TBS sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard or Wasabi mustard
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 TBS chopped parsley
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise, toss to coat evenly with 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Bake on jellyroll pan at 425 for 18 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender and outer leaves are golden brown and slightly crispy, stirring halfway through. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add bacon. Cook 6 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; set aside. In same skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoon butter and oil over medium heat. Sauté shallots for 2 minutes or until translucent and cooked through. Add vinegar; reduce heat to low, cook 1 minute. Stir in mustard and cream; bring to a low boil. Let simmer and reduce about 5 minutes or until sauce is thick and creamy. Toss Brussels sprouts with parsley, bacon and cranberries, and drizzle half the warm sauce over the top. Serve remaining sauce on the side.