SCHNITZEL WITH APPLE, CELERY, ONION SALAD AND BLUE CHEESE

Schnitzel with Apple, Celery, Onion Salad and Blue Cheese image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin chops (4 or 5) or pork tenderloin, thinly sliced on bias OR use boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets or thinly sliced beef top round or salted and drained eggplant steaks for vegetarian version
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1 tablespoon dry/ground sage
1 tablespoon dry/ground thyme
1 tablespoon dry/ground parsley
About 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Safflower frying oil or other innocuous cooking oil (about 1 cup)
6 to 7 cups coarsely chopped greens, such as gem, romaine and escarole combined
2 ribs celery with leafy tops, thinly sliced on bias
1 apple (Honeycrisp), quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 red or Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
8 ounces smoked blue cheese, crumbled, or crumbled aged goat cheese for eggplant preparation
EVOO, about 3 tablespoons

Steps:

Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet.
Working on a gel board and using a short round mallet, pound the pork in slow even strokes into thin cutlets, about 1/8 inch thick. If the chops are 3/4 to 1 inch, butterfly them open horizontally, almost halving the chops, then pound evenly with mallet. Season meat with salt and pepper
In shallow dishes, arrange a breading station leading to the stove: flour, eggs whisked with Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs and panko seasoned with lemon zest, dry herbs and nutmeg.
Heat a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat with about 1/8 inch oil.
Place the lettuces in a bowl. Add the celery, apple and onion with most of the blue cheese.
Coat 2 cutlets at a time: flour, shake off excess, eggs, breadcrumbs. Brown the cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, 2 minutes on second; transfer to the baking sheet and place in the oven. Repeat.
Dress the salad when ready to serve cutlets with lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper. Platter the schnitzel, top with salad and remaining blue cheese and serve with lemon wedges.