Meat mains
Pork and cabbage rolls
This is a quick, unusual and delicious way of serving pork cutlets (or escaplopes): beaten thin, rolled up with cabbage and cured ham, then breaded and fried. It's good with seasonal greens and mashed potato stirred in with a generous amount of minced garlic and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork cutlets (escalopes) - use fairly thin ones and trim off any excess fat
- 4 large Savoy cabbage leaves
- 4 slices serrano, Parma or other air dried ham
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 100g dry breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper
- oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
Method
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Step 1
Place the cutlets between a sheet of clingfilm and use a rolling pin to bash the cutlets to ½cm thick. In a large pan of boiling water (don't add salt or the leaves will lose their green colour), cook the cabbage leaves for 4 minutes. Drain, plunge into a bowl of cold water to refresh, then drain again.
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Step 2
Cut out the v-shaped stalk, keeping the whole leaf intact. Cut each leaf in half lengthways. Lay a cutlet on your chopping board or work surface. Place a slice of ham on top, then 2 pieces of cabbage leaf. Roll up tightly and secure with a cocktail stick or two. Repeat with the other cutlets. Place on a baking tray and chill for 10 minutes (this helps keep the shape).
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Step 3
Beat the eggs and mix with the milk in a flattish bowl. Have the breadcrumbs ready in a similar bowl. Remove the cocktail sticks and dip pork rolls in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs to coat.
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Step 4
Heat 2cm of oil in a wide deep pan to 180'C/Gas 4 (use a deep fat fryer if you have one). Fry the rolls for 6-8minutes, turning, until the pork is cooked through and the breadcrumbs are golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively bake in the oven at 190'C/Gas 5 (keep the cocktail sticks in if baking) on a non-stick tray until golden brown and cooked through. Cut in half at an angle to serve.