Pork with Lemon Picatta Sauce

Piqué

Piccata is an Italian word, the feminine form of the word piccato, meaning “larded.” It is also spelled “piccata” “picatta” or “pichotta. It is a translation of the French piqué, past participle of piquer (“to prick, lard”).

When used in reference to a way of preparing food, particularly meat or fish, it means “sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices.” The best known dish of this sort is chicken piccata, using chicken, but the term is also used with veal (veal piccata) and pork.

My family loves anything with lemons. This dish is tangy, easy to prepare and elegant.

Pork with Lemon Picatta Sauce

Serves 2

Pork tenderloin, cut into 1 cm thick slices
Flour, for dusting
Olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbs lemon juice
½ cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
½ cup white wine
1 Tbs capers, rinsed and drained
Parsley, chopped
Broccoli, steamed to serve

Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Season the pork slices and dust with a little seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 1 tsp of oil and brown the pork in batches on both sides. Remove from the pan and add another teaspoon oil. Cook the shallot with some seasoning until soft. Add the lemon juice, stock and wine. Bubble up for a few minutes then add the meat back in along with the capers. Cook gently for 4-5 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with steamed broccoli.