cotelette

Côtelette (plural côtelettes) is a French culinary term referring to a slice of meat cut from the rib area, usually including the rib bone. In practice the word can denote both the bone-in chop and, less commonly, a boneless cut that has been shaped like a chop. The most common varieties in French cuisine are pork, veal, and lamb, but the term may be used for other meats as well.

Preparation and serving: Côtelettes are typically pan-fried or grilled, and they may be sold breaded or unbreaded. Breaded versions are described as "côtelette panée" or "à la milanaise" when prepared in the style of Milanese escalopes. In everyday cooking, côtelette de porc is a standard dish, often served with potatoes, vegetables, or a sauce such as mushroom or gravy. Lamb and veal côtelettes are popular in regional French cooking, sometimes with herbs, lemon, or mustard.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the French "côte" meaning rib, with the diminutive suffix "-ette". The English equivalent is "cutlet," and related forms appear in other languages (for example Italian cotoletta, German Kotelett). In French, "escalope" is more commonly used for boneless, skinless slices of meat, whereas "côtelette" often implies the bone and the cut from the rib region.