Get the Recipe: Pork Scallopini with Mornay Sauce
Panko-breaded pork cutlets are pan-fried until golden and crispy and served topped with a creamy Gruyère cheese mornay sauce. An impressive and delicious dish for a special dinner, that's both quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
For the breaded pork:
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) thin pork loin cutlets, boneless, about 6 thin cutlets
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (500 ml) seasoned Panko, *see Note 1 below
- 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) cooking oil, or enough to create a thin layer that covers the bottom of the pan
Mornay sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons (45 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk, 3% whole milk recommended
- 2 oz (56 g) Gruyère cheese, *see Note 2 below
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon butter
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste, as needed to season the sauce
For serving:
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the pork by trimming off and discarding any fat on the pork. Using a mallet (or a rolling pin) pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-inch thick. Cut a couple of 1/2-inch slits along the long side of the pork (Tip! The cuts in the side help to keep the pork from cupping when fried, so it lays flat in the pan and cooks more evenly).
- Set up a breading station by placing the flour on one plate, the beaten eggs on a 2nd plate and the seasoned Panko on a 3rd plate. Have another clean plate to place the breaded pork on.
- Bread the pork by first dusting it with the flour and shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg and coat well, letting any excess drip back onto the plate. Finally, place the pork onto the Panko and press down to coat evenly on both sides. Place the breaded pork onto the clean plate. Repeat with the remaining pork cutlets. Place the plate into the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill for 1 hour. Tip! Don't skip the trip to the refrigerator after breading the pork, as it ensures that the breading will stick to the pork well! If time is short, even a 15-20 minute chill would be beneficial.
- While the pork is chilling, make the mornay sauce. Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Gradually add the milk to the pan and stir vigorously until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce, stirring constantly, until it thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder, salt and pepper and stir in. Sprinkle in the Gruyère cheese, stirring continuously until it is all melted and the sauce is smooth. Let the sauce stand until the pork is ready, then set it to rewarm over low heat.
- When the pork has chilled, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 3 of the breaded pork cutlets to the pan or as many as will comfortably fit with a couple of inches between pieces. Avoid over-crowding the pan. Lower the heat under the pan slightly and cook the pork until the underside is golden. Flip and cook until the other side is golden. Flip again twice, until the pork is deep golden and the pork is cooked to 145F internal temperature. Remove to a plate and cook the remaining cutlets in the same way.
- Serve immediately, topped with warm mornay sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and freshly ground pepper.
- Refrigerate leftovers for 2-3 days. Leftover pork can be rewarmed on a baking sheet in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. Reheat sauce over low heat, thinning with milk, if needed. Tip! Leftover mornay sauce is also fabulous warmed and spooned over broccoli or cauliflower.
Notes
Note 1: Seasoned Panko can usually be found with plain Panko. If you only have plain Panko, you can season it yourself by adding a bit of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and dried parsley.
Note 2: It is hard to beat the nutty flavour of Gruyère cheese, so I recommend it if possible. Substitutions would be Emmental, Jarlsberg or Swiss Cheese.
FAQ
Can I bake the breaded pork instead of pan-frying? Pan frying is highly recommended for a crispy pork cutlet and the best flavour, which is very difficult to replicate in the oven.
Can I air fry the breaded pork instead of frying? Air frying would be a preferable option to the oven for a crispy cutlet (though it will still lack the flavour of pan frying). If you'd like to try that option, spray them generously with oil, and cook at 400F for 6–10 minutes total (depending on thickness), flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 145F.
Can I bread the pork early in the day and refrigerate it? While there is conflicting guidance on this, my preference, for best results, is to stick with the 1-hour refrigeration after breading, to avoid soggy breading and inconsistent cooking. If you absolutely need to bread them ahead, loosely lay a sheet of plastic wrap overtop and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
Can I make the mornay sauce ahead and reheat it? Mornay sauce can be made ahead. Transfer to a bowl. Once cooled to warm, lay a sheet of plastic wrap over top, laying it right onto the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and whisk. If it is super thick, whisk in a bit of milk to loosen it. Rewarm over very low heat.
Tips!
A good timeline to make this recipe is to bread the pork first, pop it in the refrigerator, then make the mornay sauce while the pork chills.
Adding the cheese to the mornay sauce should be done off-heat, and if reheating the sauce, be sure to do so over low heat so the sauce doesn't boil. This will ensure the sauce is always smooth and never grainy.
Pork mornay can also be broiled before serving. If you'd like to try that, arrange the cutlets with sauce on a baking sheet, sprinkle a bit more Gruyere cheese on top of the mornay sauce and place under the broiler for a minute or two until golden and bubbly.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe. You'll also find step-by-step photos there that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 450kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 181mg, Sodium: 377mg, Potassium: 701mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 491IU, Calcium: 227mg, Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others to find it!
