1hr 45min prep: 22min cook: 1hr 23min
- Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree
- Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage
- Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
This meal makes you appreciate all the great flavors of the holiday season.
Notes:
- For a healthier version, omit the bacon and just whip up the creamy sweet potatoes. It’s a great way to get this healthful vegetable in your diet more often.
- Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs, found near the Italian breadcrumbs in the grocery store. Panko makes for a crispier crunch, but regular breadcrumbs would work too.
- I like to use a creamy blue cheese for this salad, such as Gorgonzola Dolce. But it’s the perfect time to experiment with more exotic varieties too, if your guests are up for it.
Ingredients
Produce
- Baby Spinach — 4 Ounces
- Fresh Figs — 8
- Fresh Sage — 1 Tablespoon
- Garlic — 2 Cloves
- Green Apples — 2
- Shallot — 2 Tablespoons
- Sweet Potatoes — 2 Pounds
Meat & Seafood
- Bacon — 4 Slices
- Pork Cutlets — 8
Cheese & Lunchmeat
- Blue Cheese, Crumbled — 1⁄3 Cup
Dairy & Eggs
- Butter, Unsalted — 10 Tablespoons
Dry Goods & Packaged Goods
- Pistachios, Unsalted — 1⁄3 Cup
Spice & Baking
- Black Pepper
- Brown Sugar — 1 Tablespoon
- Flour — 1 Cup
- Ground Cinnamon — 1⁄2 Teaspoon
- Kosher Salt
- Panko Breadcrumbs — 1 Cup
Condiments, Oils & Dressings
- Apple Cider Vinegar — 2 Tablespoons
- Dijon Mustard — 1⁄2 Cup
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 4 Tablespoons
- Honey — 2 Tablespoons
Beverages
- Dry White Wine — 1⁄4 Cup
Equipment
Kitchen Supplies
- Aluminum Foil
- Paper Towels
Appliances
- Oven
- Stove Top — 2
Cooking Equipment
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl, Large
- Mixing Bowl, Medium
- Pot, Large (4-6 QT)
- Potato Masher
- Saute Pan, Large (12″ or Larger)
- Shallow Bowl, Wide — 2
- Sheet Pan
- Whisk
Prep Steps
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Cut off both ends of each sweet potato and use a fork to pierce holes all over. Wrap the potatoes individually in pieces of foil, leaving the tops slightly open.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Cut the butter into small cubes, and put about 1 tablespoon inside each foil packet with a sweet potato. Seal the edges of the foil tightly, and place each packet on a sheet pan.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Prepare a plate with layers of paper towels. Set plate near the stove for the cooked bacon.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Smash the garlic under the side of your chef’s knife to remove the peel. Mince the garlic.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Finely chop a shallot to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Pick sage leaves off the stems and finely chop to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Wait to cut the apples until closer to cook time. That way, they won’t oxidize, or turn brown before cooking.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] Mix together honey and apple cider vinegar in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in, while whisking continuously, to create a honey vinaigrette.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] Slice the figs in half or in quarters.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] If you purchased whole pistachios, roughly chop them to measure the indicated amount, then place in a large mixing bowl.
Cook Steps
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Place sweet potato packets in the preheated oven. Cook until they are very tender and pierce easily with a fork, about [40-50 minutes].
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Pour panko into a shallow, wide bowl. Pour flour into another shallow, wide bowl.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Line up the two bowls of flour and panko with a plate in between. Set a large platter on the other side of the panko.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Thoroughly dry the pork cutlets. Season with salt and pepper.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Dredge 1 pork cutlet in the flour, coating evenly on both sides, then shake off excess. Transfer the cutlet to the plate and spread about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard evenly over both sides. Transfer the cutlet to the panko and coat evenly on both sides. Shake off excess, then transfer to the clean platter. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Once butter is melted and oil is hot, add the breaded pork cutlets. Oil should sizzle when you add the pork. Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches. Cook until cutlets are browned nicely on the first side, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also nicely browned, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate and cover with aluminum foil.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Heat a large pot over medium heat.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Once pot is warm, add the bacon and sauté until browned and crispy, about 7-10 minutes. Flip halfway through to ensure even cooking. Transfer the cooked bacon to the plate lined with paper towels.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Let the pan cool in between batches for a few minutes. Then finish cooking the remaining pork cutlets. Remember to cook the cutlets for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook another 2-4 minutes until cooked through.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Drain the bacon fat from the pot. Set the pot aside until the sweet potatoes are done cooking.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Cut the apples into 1/2 inch dice, cutting around the core as you chop.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Once potatoes are out of the oven, carefully open up the tops of the pouches so the steam escapes. Let the potatoes cool slightly.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Once all the cutlets are cooked, place pan back over medium heat. Add olive oil and warm.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Once oil is warm, add the shallots and sage. Saute until shallots are softened and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Do not brown.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Once shallots are softened and translucent, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the apples and season with salt and pepper. Saute until apples start to soften, then pour in the wine. Cook until apples are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir often.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a slit across the tops and peel off the skins. Place the potatoes in the pot the bacon was cooked in.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Use a potato masher or potato ricer to smash the potatoes. Mash until smooth.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Place the pot over medium-low heat and stir in brown sugar, ground cinnamon and butter. Crumble the bacon and add to the puree. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Once the sweet potato puree is well combined, remove from heat. Keep covered until ready to serve.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] Place the baby spinach in the bowl of pistachios.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] Crumble the blue cheese into the bowl of spinach and pistachios. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with honey vinaigrette and toss to combine.
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Once the wine is nearly cooked out and apples are softened, stir in butter. Cook until butter is melted, then remove from heat.
- [ Fig, Pistachio and Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Vinaigrette ] You can toss the figs in with the salad and transfer everything to a large serving bowl. Or, place 2 figs’ worth of halves or quarters on each dinner plate, then place a large bundle of spinach, blue cheese and pistachios on top. Ready to eat!
- [ Sweet Potato and Bacon Puree ] Transfer sweet potato and bacon puree to a serving bowl. Serve warm!
- [ Crispy Pork Cutlets with Apples and Sage ] Transfer 2 crispy pork cutlets to each dinner plate and top with apples and sage. Serve warm!