Crisp pork Medallions with Creamy Caper Sauce

Crisp Pork Medallions with Creamy Caper Sauce
(recipe and picture: courtesy of Ken K.)

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 pan frying

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Garnish: lemon wedges; watercress or other baby greens

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

Place 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 pan fry 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. Serves 4.

Wine pairing suggestion:
This is very similar recipe to how the wiener schnitzel is made – except in case of schnitzel the meat is more flatted and fried in the frying pan, not in oven – although oven is healthier alternative. To my taste – I served it with good old cooked potatoes (or potato salad would be yummy too).

Therefore I paired it with Alta Vista Premium Torrontes 2008 from Northern Argentina. This grape varietal is not so well known, but that could be one more reason to try something new…. I am sure the red would work as well, I would just reach for something light, acidic – either Pinot Noir or perhaps Italian medium body red.