Tomato Pork Cutlets

No, we have not eaten takeaway for the last 3 weeks! I have just been lax! Actually I have been busy keeping up with my other blog - maggies-textiles. I seem to have trouble in doing both at once.

Last night's dinner was just barbecued lamb loin chops for the non-semivegetarian and boiled vegetables with a sprinkling of tuna (Sirena in oil) for me - I enjoyed my dinner no end. Sometimes one just needs the taste of vegetables unadorned. However the previous night the main dish was pork cutlets baked in tomatoes - definitely not unadorned veges.

6 nicely trimmed pork cutlets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
a couple of tablespoons of chopped herbs - I used rosemary, thyme and parsley
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

I mixed the last 4 ingredients together and poured over the cutlets in a large greased casserole dish and left to sit for 30 minutes.

I peeled and chopped 3 zucchini (1 inch slices)
1 capsicum (2 inch squares)
3 small eggplant (1 inch slices)

These then went around the cutlets in the dish and were stirred in the marinade also.
I emptied a small tin of crushed tomatoes, into which I had stirred 1 dessertspoon of brown sugar, onto the lot.

I drizzled another tablespoon of oil on top and put in a 190 degree C oven for 45 + minutes until the pork was done. (This was cooked without a lid)

This was served with plain couscous to absorb the liquid.

I had vegetables and couscous and enjoyed it. There are still 2 dinners of cutlets in the freezer for repeat performances.

Just a footnote! Since I finished the bottle of balsamic vinegar that evening the next day I was surprised and delighted to find as well as, a choice of brands, also, in one brand, a choice of 1, 2, 3 , or 4 leaf. The 4 leaf is labelled as vintage. I have only used ordinary one leaf previously and, since I could get a 500ml bottle just slightly cheaper than a 250 ml of vintage in the same brand, 1 leaf was the one I put in the trolley. However Mike persuaded me to get a small bottle of the vintage as well. We have not yet tried the difference. With so much balsamic in the cupboard I hope vinegar is not like olive oil, which Patrice Newell (I am reading her Olive Grove at the moment) tells me goes off very quickly so must be used asap! Not sure the nonvintage oils I buy seem to change that quickly but I will now be conscious of this fact in the future.