Pozharskie cutlets are an original dish of Russian national cuisine, which is perfect for a party or a festive dinner. Cutlets are made from tender chicken fillet and turn out to be ruddy and fragrant.
Pozharsky cutlets have an interesting history of origin and are associated with the name of Daria Pozharskaya, the owner of a tavern on the way from Moscow to Petersburg to Torzhok. Once Tsar Alexander I stopped for a bite to eat at the Pozharskys' tavern and ordered veal cutlets to be served. The owner of the tavern, the husband of Daria Pozharskaya, was in complete despair, because he didn't have veal. Dexterous Daria suggested that her husband replace the veal with chicken and fry it in bread crumbs.
Alexander I, who really liked the cutlets, decided to reward Pozharsky. However, the owner of the inn decided to confess everything to the king. Alexander I was pleased with Pozharsky's honesty. Since then, travelers have come to the Pozharsky tavern to eat cutlets, and this unusual dish has appeared in Russian national cuisine.
To prepare classic fire cutlets, you will need the following ingredients:
- 800 g chicken fillet;
- 150 g of white bread;
- 200 ml cream (20% fat);
- 70 g of butter;
- 200 g of bread crusts for breading;
- salt, pepper (to taste).
In the classic recipe for fire cutlets, chicken eggs are never used. Only in this case do they taste the same as they were served to Alexander I.
Do not use ready-made minced chicken for fire cutlets; it is best to purchase chicken and butcher it yourself, removing the fillet from the legs and breast. Minced meat can be made using a meat grinder, chopped with a blender or chopped with an ordinary knife.
Peel the onions, chop finely and fry in a pan greased with butter until transparent and soft. Soak the pulp of white bread in the cream for a few minutes and add to the onion.
Cut 50 g of butter into small pieces and place in the freezer. Put the crusts of white bread in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and then rub on a coarse grater.
Combine the chicken meat with onions and white bread crumb, replace the minced meat with clean hands, and season with salt and black pepper. Put frozen butter in minced meat and refrigerate for 30 minutes. For the specified time, the minced meat for cutlets will become plastic.
Many modern restaurateurs replace butter slices with ice and then breaded with dried white bread, which ensures that not a drop of liquid flows out during the frying process.
Pour the breading onto the table, then dip your hands in water, form into oval cutlets and quickly bread. You need to shape the cutlets very quickly, while the minced meat is cold. Before frying, cutlets must be placed in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and place the patties, which should be fried on both sides until tender. Then place the frying pan with cutlets in the oven, preheated to 180 ° C, or put on baking foil. The baking time of cutlets in the oven depends on their size. Ready-made fire cutlets have a crispy crust, creamy aroma and juice when cut.
Pozharskie cutlets should be served hot, after heating they lose all their original and unusual taste. Buckwheat porridge or baked potatoes can be served as a side dish for fire cutlets.
