David Chang's Panko-Breaded Pork Chops W/ Masa Cakes and Redeye

Submitted by College Girl

"From Mark Bittman's PBS show, "The Best Recipes In The World". Fusion food YUM! Anyway, this is a fancy, fun, very man-friendly dish. It's a little different but hey, for the adventurous it's awesome. Here's what Bittman had to say: "Who better to spread the gospel of pork than David Chang of New York's Momofuku? He adds pork to almost every one of his vegetarian-unfriendly dishes, because, as he'll tell you, it just makes things taste better. This dish is an enormously successful example of fusion cuisine—essentially, pork katsu with a Southern twist. David's redeye gravy, however, is not made like the kind you'd find in Southern diners. Instead of combining country-ham drippings with hot coffee, he makes what amounts to a mayonnaise spiked with instant granules." Prep and cook time is 45 minutes; enjoyment lasts forever."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Yields: 2 chops
• Serves: 2-4

ingredients

• 9 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 2 boneless pork chops (about 6 ounces each, pounded if necessary to 1/2-inch thick)
• salt and pepper
• peanut oil or neutral oil
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs, or other coarse breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar (or cider)
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 cups masa corn flour
• 1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons lard (room temp)
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (grapeseed, or other neutral oil)
• 2 scallions (trimmed and chopped)

directions

1. With a fork or whisk, mix together 3 of the eggs and the flour to form a smooth batter.
2. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Put at least 2 inches of oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot—a pinch of flour will sizzle—begin to prepare the pork: dip a piece in the egg batter, then in the breadcrumbs—the more of this coating that adheres, the better. Put the piece of pork in the pan and repeat until done; depending on how many chops you're cooking or how large your skillet is, you may have to cook in batches, since crowding the pan will lower the oil's temperature and make for soggy chops. (Drain cooked pieces on a paper towel, then transfer them to a low oven until you're finished cooking.) Adjust the heat so the meat cooks rapidly but the coating does not burn. Turn each chop as the first side becomes deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cook about the same amount of time on the second side.
3. When the pork is almost done, bring about an inch of water to a boil in a deep, large skillet, add one teaspoon of salt and the vinegar, and lower the heat to the point where it barely bubbles. One at a time, break the 6 remaining eggs into a shallow bowl and slip them into the water. At this point, cover the skillet or begin to spoon the water over the tops of the eggs. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the whites are barely set and the yolks have begun to film over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. To make the gravy, combine 2 of the barely poached eggs, instant coffee grounds, sherry vinegar, and soy sauce in a small nonreactive bowl. Use an immersion blender to beat the ingredients until smooth, no more than 2 minutes. (You may also use a regular blender.).
5. By hand, mix together the masa flour, water, lard, salt, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl just until the mixture is smooth. Form the dough into golf ball-sized spheres, then press each one into a ¼-inch thick disc. Grease your griddle or pan with a teaspoon of oil and, when the oil shimmers, add the masa cakes. Cook, working in batches, until they are light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
6. Slice the pork and divide it among 4 plates. Divide the masa cakes and poached eggs among the plates, garnish with scallions, and serve with redeye gravy.