This odd looking loaf is from a recipe designed exclusively to turn into gluten-free breadcrumbs.  The loaf is mostly potato starch and arrowroot starch (substituted for the cornstarch in the original recipe) and contains both quick-rise yeast AND baking powder.  Apparently the yeast is “just for flavor” because there is no rise time at all.

Anyway, I’m hoping to use the resulting breadcrumbs to make “Pork Cutlets a l’Orange” (aka breaded pork cutlets cooked in orange juice).  When my mom makes them, they melt in your mouth.  Mine never seem to get that tender, but they are still good.  Thin sliced pork cutlets sprinkled with S&P+garlic powder are dipped in egg and then in breadcrumbs, browned quickly in butter & oil (which for me will be just oil), and then simmered gently in diluted orange juice for 45-75 minutes (depending on whether you follow my sister’s version of the recipe or my mother’s; mom cooks them longer).  My sister adds a drizzle of honey after the browning.  Either way, they are yummy!

Not sure why I have a taste for these, but it’s probably because after the “gum incident” the other day, I was on a diet of rice, poached chicken, and applesauce for a few days . . . so I have this big jar of Unsweetened Organic Applesauce (I love that the ingredient list is: organic apples 🙂 . . . so I thought “Pork Chops . . . and Applesauce”.

Oh and yeah, pork chops were on sale when I went to buy groceries yesterday.  Will add a pic of them after I make them.

Enjoy!

[Update:  While I was writing the above, and the bread was cooling . . . the loaf collapsed.  Not likely to get the 8 cups of breadcrumbs predicted from the recipe, but should get enough to make the pork chops.  Next time I’ll use some more substantial flour, rather than just the two starches, and maybe let it rise a bit to give yeast a chance to work and the gum time to rehydrate (which apparently it needs to do to provide any structure) . . . Live and learn!!]

[Update#2:  Slicing revealed that much of this bread was “gum/paste” . . . I had to carve off the bad parts before turning what was left into breadcrumbs.  To do that I sliced the bread and let it “dry out” for a few hours, then I tore the slices into smaller pieces and used the food processor to pulse them into crumbs (this took several batches), finally I toasted the breadcrumbs in a 325°F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.]

Toasted Bread Crumbs . . . Gluten Free!!

NOTE:  This post got rather long, so I will post the Pork Chop pics in a separate post.