Chicken breast milanesa a la Stevie

I had the most wonderful experience making milanesa today that I just have to share right now. Here's what happened.

It was chicken breast, pounded to 3/8" and brined for 2 hours.

I learned that we had no eggs for the standard flour, egg, breadcrumbs thing.

Rather than go to he store again, I skipped the flour part and mixed some mayo with a bit of milk, dipped the chicken in it and then pressed into crumbs. I succeded in getting my oil really hot (it takes some patience) and shallow fried the chicken for exactly 2 minutes per side. I've never made it better than this. Standby for my marinating (instead of brining) the remaining pieces of the whole chicken I bought in a mix of mayo, miso and some milk. Then right into bread crumbs and then the oven. I'm not going to fry again this week.

Milanesa for the new millenium

According to Peter, I am the Maestro of Milanesa. I have to agree. I've studied it and prepared it dozens of times in recent years. It is very, very easy. I didn't research this extensively, but it appears that milanesa is usually a slice of beef. Well, I'm here to tell you, I've had beef milanesa in restaurants and I've tried to make it at home. It sucks under all circumstances. I make mine with pork or chicken (and once with turkey breast). Brine it, pound it, flour it, egg it, crumb it, fry it in incredibly hot oil for an incredibly short time.

I made milanesa from some pork loin chops (boneless) last night. They were just fine. There were, however, three pieces of meat. I plan to try a slight variation tonight with the third piece. First, while I did brine it, I'm not going to pound it out. That means I will have to be attentive to how long it needs to be shallow fried (1/8 inch oil). This chop is 1/2 inch thick. It might be a huge mistake not to pound it flatter, but I'll take the risk. I'm going to eat it no matter what.

I have invented a spice/herb combination (heck, I don't know what it is) which I am calling Garcon. Emeril has his Essence, the Cajuns have their Trinity. Well, Stevie now has his Garcon (a combination of garlic powder, celery salt, and onion powder). You will get a lot of exposure to this in upcoming posts.

I did it. I ate it. I'm a happy camper.

Pork milanesa

I’m back! The kitchen was mine last night and I made an old favorite of ours, pork milanesa. It’s just a different term for something very much like veal scallopine or Wienerschnitzel. You’ll find it in Mexican places, more often than not made with beef. I’ve never had any success with the beef version – always leathery. But pork, or chicken or turkey? Bingo.

I was dismayed to discover that, while I posted a turkey milanesa and a pork one quite a long time ago, no one read it. Or at least no one commented on it. Therefore I am unashamed to revisit it.

Make note of the absolute essentials for this to be as good as it can be: brine the meat for 3 or 4 hours (2 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, to 2 cups water). Rinse it, dry it and proceed; shallow oil – no more than 1/8” – you don’t want it to go over the top of the meat when you put it in the pan; oil must be hot as heck – when you think it’s hot enough, wait another 30 seconds; cook for no more than 45 seconds to 1 minute per side – seriously, trust me on this. Sounds daunting? It isn’t if you just do what you’re told! LOL.

If you buy thin chops, you may be able to pound them to less than ¼” thickness, in which case the 45 second rule applies. If they are thicker and you pound them to ¼”, you can go for 1 minute per side. DO NOT ERR ON THE SIDE OF “GOTTA COOK MY PORK TIL IT’S DEAD”.

You can get away with not brining the chops, but the results will not be quite as succulent. Your choice.

I’ve provided a sample photo of bone-in chops. Some cuts will have a bit more “tail” meat (at the bottom of the chop as pictured). I would separate that from the main part, trim it of fat and turn it into little medallions to cook along with the rest.

Pork milanesa (2 servings)
2 - 8 oz. pork chops, bone in or boneless loin, brined for 3 hours
smoked paprika (or sweet if that’s what you have)
black pepper
salt (only if not brined)
Flour for dredging
1 egg plus 1 tbsp water, lightly beaten
breadcrumbs (homemade are best, but Panko are also excellent – do not use flavored Italian breadcrumbs)

After brining, rinse the chops well and dry them with paper towels. If these are bone-in, cut the bones out.
In a freezer bag or between sheets of plastic wrap, pound until thickness is reduced by half.

Sprinkle with paprika and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in egg and coat with bread crumbs. Place on a baking rack over a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat no more than 1/8” vegetable oil over medium high (7 on my 1-10 dial). When you think it’s hot enough, wait 1 more minute. Carefully slide in the meat. For ¼” pieces cook exactly 1 minute per side. If they are thinner, reduce the time to 45 seconds per side. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.

Remove to paper towels. Let them sit for a minute, then serve.

Pork paillards

“Pork paillards” – I’m so pleased with the alliteration. Where is everybody this morning? It’s Saturday at 10 am here in Denver and I just had a look at the blog to see what's been posted. Nada. Oh well, maybe a little later. I get such a charge out of all your recipes. (I confess I tend to skip the baked goods … I’m not a baker or a sweets eater.)

Here’s the thing about cooking pork this way: the perfect cut is boneless loin chops, although I’ve used bone-in, thin-cut chops (just boned them out). With loin chops I would cut them into 1” strips, brine them, and pound them thin. I have sliced through them to make thinner pieces, but it’s kind of hard to do and maybe a little dangerous. This dish is absolutely not greasy if the oil is hot enough.

There’s nothing complicated about the technique of making paillards. Turkey, chicken and pork are all excellent for this. I have tried numerous times to make this with beef to no avail. For some reason it’s always tough. Do trust the very short cooking time. You won’t regret it.

To brine: 2 cups water, 2 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp black pepper. Dissolve salt in the water, add to the pork in a freezer bag or other container, make sure the pork is completely submerged. Leave in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Rinse and dry on paper towels before proceeding.

Pork paillards (serves 4)
1 lb. pork loin chops or regular chops, boned
smoked paprika
black pepper
all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten (sometimes 1 is enough, or add some egg white from a box if you have it)
2-3 cups bread crumbs (preferable unseasoned – Panko is good too)

One by one, put the brined pork pieces into a freezer bag (you can use the one they were brined in. Pound them very thin, less than ¼” if you can.

Put the chops on a baking rack on your cutting board. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat with black pepper. Press it with your fingers to help it adhere. Now, using a small sieve, sprinkle with smoked paprika. I do only one side because smoked paprika can easily hijack a dish. Again using the sieve, sprinkle with a light coating of flour. Turn them over and sprinkle with flour.

Dredge in the egg and then the breadcrumbs, pressing to get a good coating. When finished put the rack on a plate and refrigerate. This can be done way ahead, just be sure to take the pork out 30 minutes before cooking.

In a large skillet heat 1/8” maximum of cooking oil over medium-high heat (7 of 10 on my burner dial) until very hot. The oil is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles energetically when dropped in. At this point I always wait another 30 seconds. The most crucial aspect of this recipe is the hot oil.

Carefully lay in the breaded pork (in batches as necessary, keeping cooked pieces in a warm oven until everything's done. Cook 45 seconds only. Turn with tongs. Cook 45 seconds more. Remove to a plate covered with paper towel to drain for 1 minute. Serve.

Turkey milanesa with hominy/bean/grits cakes

Pictured above: 2 pieces turkey milanesa and one bean cake (top of plate).

We bought a 20 lb. turkey at a 60% discount the day after Easter. I broke it down into legs, thighs, breasts (one boneless, one bone-on), wings and back (for stock). Last night I made some of the boneless breast into milanesa. The remainder of that breast will become turkey burgers tonight.

Cheese-Whiz, that’s a lot of turkey. But the t-bird is an excellent source of low-fat protein. And, as it happens, Peter and I love turkey.

I have studied the art of milanesa (or the Italian version, milanese) for a long time. The last two times I’ve made it (pork once, then now the turkey) I really felt like I understood it.

I did one thing different: I sliced the breast across instead of lengthwise – into two 5-6 oz. cutlets ½” thick (before pounding). This is the equivalent of cutting meat across the grain.

Keys to the process:
1) brining – 2 cups water, 2 tbsp kosher salt (1 for regular salt), 1 tsp roughly smashed black peppercorns – 2-3 hours in the fridge is fine.
2) Rinsing very, very well.
3) No added salt after brining – seasoning with some more pepper and some paprika is good.
4) Pounding thin is essential – no more than 1/4”; closer to 1/8” is even better.
5) Allow the coatings to set up in the refrigerator.
6) Getting the oil hot enough – when it’s ready a flick of water into it will pop instantly – not sizzle, pop.
7) Cooking time – absolutely no more than 90 seconds per side.
8) Drain on paper towel and dab the top to remove any excess oil.

Turkey milanesa
2 5-6 oz. turkey cutlets, cut across the grain ½” thick
brining liquid
sweet or smoked paprika to taste
black pepper
all-purpose flour for dredging
1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp cream, milk or water
bread crumbs, homemade or panko, but never Italian-flavored ones from a box
2/3 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese (optional)
vegetable oil, enough to coat a large saute pan to 1/8”

Pound the cutlets to 1/8” – ¼” thickness between plastic wrap or in a freezer bag. Season with paprika and/or pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Dip into egg and coat thoroughly, allowing excess to drain off. Coat with bread crumbs (with or without the cheese in it), pressing the crumbs in.

Place the cutlets on a baking rack over a plate and refrigerate until 30 minutes before cooking.

I cannot emphasize the importance of getting the oil hot enough. You can test it one of two ways: flick a drop of water into it – it should pop instantly; or drop a tiny bit of breadcrumbs into the oil – it should sizzle aggressively in an instant and be brown in a matter of a few seconds.

Here’s the part that’s hard to trust – the cooking time. Cook for 90 seconds on one side, turn and cook as little as one more minute. Last night, because the cutlets were about ¼” thick, I intended to cook them 2 minutes per side. After turning them I let them go only 30 seconds on side 2.

Drain on paper towels, dabbing the tops with another towel to remove any residual oil. Serve at once.

It was time to dispose of some leftovers: a bit of grits from last night, a bit of hominy from the recent posole, and an orphan can of Navy beans in the pantry. I had to consult a couple of recipes from our loose-leaf collection, mostly to see what I should use as a binder.

Grits, hominy and Navy bean cakes
1/3 cup leftover grits or polenta
½ - 14 oz. can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz. can Navy beans, drained and rinsed
2 scallions, green and white parts chopped fine
1 tsp hot sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp flour
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
pinch finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup grated pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

Put the hominy and beans in a food processor and pulse to a rough chop. Mix in grits, scallions, hot sauce, egg, flour, serrano chile, rosemary, cheese, salt and pepper. Form a little of it into a 1” ball, flatten it and microwave it for 15 seconds. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Form the mixture into patties and fry 3-4 minutes per side until hot throughout.

Pork milanesa with rice and beans

NPR did a daily feature this week in which celebrity chefs gave recipes for feeding 4 on less than $10. They also offered the opportunity for us out here in listening land to send them similar recipes. So I did.





I think that beef is the most common meat used for milanesa, but I make it with pork and chicken as well. It's extremely simple to do, and very satisfying.



Milanesa with rice and beans

4 Thin cut boneless pork chops
1 egg
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unflavored bread crumbs
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
hot sauce, to taste
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded

Brine the chops if you have time. Season with salt (only if you didn't brine them), pepper and paprika. Pound them very thin, dredge in flour, dip in egg, coat with breadcrumbs.

In a large skillet, heat 1/8" vegetable oil until nearly smoking. Fry the meat exactly 90 seconds per side, no more, no less! If you have to do this in batches, kept the cooked pieces warm on a plate on paper towels.

Cook the rice according to package directions. I usually like to use broth for this, but water is fine. Drain and rinse the beans and combine them with the cooked rice along with the jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and hot sauce to taste.

Serve the milanesa on a bed of lettuce with the rice and beans on the side.

Refritos (re-fried beans)

Buy a can of refried beans if you must, but there will be no comparison with the taste of homemade. My method is entirely made up by yours truly and must be considered “Nuevo Norte Americano.”

As so often happens with me, the inspiration for something comes from ingredients that are hanging around in the pantry, the fridge, or the freezer. In this case it was half a bag (about 1 ½ cups) of frozen black-eyed peas (which are actually beans), and some thin-cut top sirloin steaks which cried out for a good flattening and preparation as milanesa, breaded and fried thin beef as found in practically any Mexican restaurant. Oh, and a third thing: requeson, a Mexican ricotta-like cheese. We had this because Peter had made a Latino-inspired stuffed winter squash a few days ago.

You certainly can make this ahead by a day or two and reheat them while you prepare the milanesa. I’ll include directions for this just in case you want to try both of these together.

Refritos (refried beans)
1 ½ cups (more or less) frozen black-eyed peas
1 14.5 oz can pinto beans, well-rinsed
2 medium size tomatoes, peeled and chopped (canned are ok)
½ red onion, rough chopped
2 or 3 Hatch chiles, skinned and seeded (or substitute jalapenos to taste)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
3/4 cup chicken or beef stock
1/8 cup epazote leaves or cilantro, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

In a large sauté pan, cook black-eyed peas according to package directions. Set aside and wipe the pan clean.

Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened but not browned, about 6-8 minutes. Place all ingredients in the food processor and whir them up to a rough texture (according to your preference).

Return the mixture to the sauté pan and heat to a low simmer, adding more stock if it seems to thick. Cook, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes after checking and adjusting seasonings. Remove the cover for part of the cooking time if the beans seems to wet.

Milanesa
Thin-cut steak
Egg, 1 per pound of steak
Breadcrumbs, unseasoned are best, but suit yourself
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil

Pound the steaks to no more than ¼” thickness.

In a wide bowl, lightly beat the egg with a tbsp water. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Dip each piece of steak in the egg to coat completely. Dredge in the bread crumbs, pressing them into the steak so that they adhere. Carefully lay the meat on a wire rack over a plate and refrigerate until ready to cook. Season the tops of the steaks with salt and pepper. (You’ll do the other side while cooking them.) If you have an hour it will help the bread crumbs to set up and stick better when you fry the meat.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan until a tiny pinch of bread crumbs immediately sizzles when dropped in.

Cook the steaks in a single layer (in batches as necessary) for exactly 2 minutes per side, starting with the seasoned side up. When you turn them season the cooked side with salt and pepper. Remove to the wire rack which you have now covered with some paper towels. Cover with a sheet of foil and keep warm in the oven if you have to do more than 1 batch.

For a free excerpt of my book, “A Year of Food,” in which I opine, report, cook, muse and philosophize about everything that passed my lips for an entire year, write to me at: scrout1944@msn.com.