Shiso Pork Saltimbocca with Miso-Butter Sauce (Italian × Japanese)

Method

1. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes, drain well and keep it in the fridge. Crisp, cold cabbage is the perfect partner for the salty pork.

   Add in this stepCabbage 120 g

2. Nick the sinew between the fat and the meat every 2 cm so the pork does not curl, then pound it between cling film to 5 mm thick. Allow 2 cutlets per person. Pat dry and pepper one side.

   Add in this stepPork loin, thin cutlets 240 gBlack pepper to taste

3. On the unpeppered side, lay 1 shiso leaf and 1 slice of prosciutto and press firmly; the prosciutto acts as glue, so no toothpick is needed. Dust both sides thinly with potato starch and tap off the excess. Starch fries crisper than flour and gives the sauce a silky cling.

   Add in this stepShiso leaves (or perilla leaves) 4Prosciutto, thin slices 4Potato starch 1½ tbsp

4. In a small bowl, stir the miso, mirin and sake until there are no lumps of miso.

   Add in this stepWhite miso 2 tspMirin 2 tbspCooking sake 2 tbsp

5. Heat the oil in a 26 cm frying pan over medium heat and cook the pork prosciutto side down for 2 min. Turn and cook for 2 min more; it is done when the meat feels springy and the juices run clear. Pork must be cooked through with no pink (70 °C in the centre). Cook in batches if needed and set aside.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1 tbsp

   medium heat

6. Wipe the fat from the pan with kitchen paper, lower the heat to medium-low heat, pour in the sauce and let it bubble for 1 min until slightly reduced. Melt in the butter, return the pork and turn it to coat both sides. Miso scorches quickly, so keep the heat gentle. Pile the cabbage on plates, lay the pork on top and spoon over any remaining sauce.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 15 g

   medium-low heat