Pistachio and Blue Corn Tortilla Crusted Pork Chops

Pistachio and Blue Corn Tortilla Crusted Pork Chops

This dish is all about the pistachios. If you like them, you'll love this. Center cut pork loin chops crusted in chopped pistachios and crushed blue corn tortilla chips, pan fried and finished with pistachio oil - Mmmmm!

Serves 4


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil, or canola oil (or any oil that has a medium-high smoke point)

4 boneless center cut pork loin chops

10 blue corn tortilla chips, crushed or chopped

1/4 cup salted pistachios, chopped

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water (egg wash)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dredging

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon pistachio oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Place flour in a shallow bowl, then place egg wash (beaten egg with water) in a separate shallow bowl. Salt and pepper pork chops then dredge each in flour, then egg wash, then flour again. On one side of pork chops press crushed tortilla chips and chopped pistachios.

coated, crusted and ready to be pan fried

Heat grapeseed or canola oil in skillet to medium, then place pork chops crusted side down into hot pan. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until pork chops are no longer pink inside.

Remove from pan and drizzle with pistachio oil (or extra-virgin olive oil) before serving. The pistachio oil gave it that extra punch of pistachio but these chops would be just as good using extra-virgin olive oil if you don't have, or don't want to invest in, pistachio oil.

I picked up this La Tourangelle Pistachio Oil at Bristol Farms  and it is really, really good (but expensive). In this case, I felt it was worth it because I'll use it over and over again in salad dressings, as a dipping oil, drizzled over pasta, etc. Some oils are not very flavorful, however, this 100% pure pistachio oil was the exception. Close your eyes, taste, and it's like you're eating a pistachio.