Thin wild hog cutlets are layered with ham, cheese and roasted peppers, then breaded and fried until golden and crisp. Served with a bright, tangy celery and pepper salad and crispy potatoes, this dish is rich, comforting, and full of Spanish-inspired flavor.

Cutlets are already good, so stuffing them with ham, cheese and roasted peppers is a bit of lily-gilding..

Beyond the standard sequence of making cutlets, there is a slight complication of stuffing them and keeping that stuffing contained within the sandwiched cutlets. This can be done two ways: pounding a very large piece that can be folded over the stuffing, or layering the cheese, ham and peppers between two smaller cutlets. Both work well, but for both please be sure to fastidiously and completely bread the cachopo with flour, egg and then breadcrumb. This will help with any leakage during the frying portion.

Featured in the Hog Video (Large Sow).

Serves 4

8 cutlets of even size (shoot for around 4”x8” each) 

Salt and pepper

8 thin slices of cured or smoked ham such as serrano ham, prosciutto or country ham

4 thin slices of cheese (mozzarella, Oaxaca, fontina, menonita, gouda, provolone or any melting cheese or use about 6 tbsp goat cheese)

4 pieces of roasted red pepper (or jarred piquillo peppers) or even roasted Hatch chiles, about 3”x3”

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups breadcrumbs (I prefer Panko)

Olive oil or lard for frying

To serve:

French fries or crispy potatoes

Salad with a tart vinaigrette

Lay out 8 of the cutlets and season them with salt and pepper. Layer 8 pieces of the prosciutto or other ham on top, leaving at least a ½” border all around. Next, place a slice of cheese, followed by a slice of the roasted pepper. Top with another piece of the ham. Place another cutlet on top, effectively sealing in the ham, cheese and pepper filling. Season the top cutlet with salt and pepper. Press down on it to seal and compress the cachopo. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow it to set up a bit.

Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate plates or wide bowls. Bread each cachopo first in the flour, making sure to coat it very well, followed by the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat ½” of oil or fat in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat (350°F with a thermometer). Fry the cachopos, in batches if necessary, until crispy and golden and the filling is very hot, about 3-4 minutes per side. Drain well on paper towels, a rack or brown paper bags.

Serve immediately with fried potatoes and a salad of celery, cilantro and roasted peppers (below).

Celery, Cilantro and Roasted Pepper Salad

Serves 4

¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup roasted red bell peppers or piquillo peppers, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

A handful of tender salad greens or lettuce, torn into large pieces

In a medium bowl, combine the onion, celery, garlic, peppers, salt, pepper and sherry vinegar. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes. Add the olive oil and combine.

When ready to serve, add the cilantro and lettuces and toss very well. Check seasoning and serve at once with hot cachopos.