Never heard of pork piccata? Picata is a dish made with lemon juice and capers that is usually prepared with veal or chicken. But, it can easily be prepared with any meat of your liking. This week Dude Food chose to make piccata with “the other white meat”. Piccata may sound like a fancy restaurant meal, but it can easily and quickly be prepared at home.

Pork Piccata – serves 4

8 pork cutlets

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Juice of two lemons

1/3 cup capers

1 cup dry white wine like Sauvigon Blanc

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and Pepper

Garlic powder

1. Place pork cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Gently pound until all cutlets are equal thickness.

2. Place flour in shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lightly dredge cutlets in seasoned flour.

3. Heat 1 tablespoons olive oil and cooking spray over medium high heat.  When pan is hot, brown cutlets on each side; about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate and cover with aluminum foil.

4. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and white wine to pan and simmer for 2 minutes while scrapping bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add lemon juice and capers and simmer for another 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

5. Add pork back to pan and simmer for 3 minutes. Add butter and stir until completely melted.  Serve immediately over butter spaghetti.

It’s that time…Time for another dinner of the week recipe. This week we bring you one of chef Aaron’s favorites – PIZZA! Pizza is the perfect Dude Food meal because you can take whatever you have one hand and create something great. Pizza is also a great weeknight dinner that can be put together in a snap and served alongside a green salad for an easy meal that will please young and old alike.

Prosciutto, Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

1 ball uncooked pizza dough

4 oz. Proscuitto

3 oz. goat cheese

1/4 mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers; sliced

1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Olive oil

Fresh cracked black pepper

Red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Let dough come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stretch and roll out dough on a floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick. Pre-bake dough without toppings for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

2. Sprinkle half of mozzarella on crust, leaving 1/2 inch along edges. Lay slices of prosciutto on top of cheese, followed by roasted red peppers. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly. Dot entire pizza evenly with goat cheese. Drizzle with olive oil.

Before

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil, cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes (optional).

After

Each week we will be posting a unique recipe impressive enough for company and easy enough for weeknight dinners.

Pan Seared Talapia, Sauteed Spinach and Roasted Potatoes

4 Talapia fillets (about 6 oz. each)

1 pound fresh spinach leaves

4 cloves garlic, chopped

4 red potatoes, cubed

1 lemon

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes

Paprika

Salt and Pepper

Cooking spray

1. Spray  baking dish with cooking spray. Add cubed potatoes to baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with  salt, pepper, paprika and chili flake. Toss with 2 cloves garlic and yellow onion. Roast potatoes at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

2. Sautee spinach in skillet over medium heat with olive oil and garlic until just wilted. Remove from pan.

3. Season both sides of talapia with salt, pepper, and paprika. Drizzle both sides with olive oil.

4. Heat pan over medium heat and sear fish for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat and squeeze juice of half a lemon over fish.

5. Serve 1 talapia fillet over bed of sauteed spinach and potatoes. Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Serves 4