Veal Pojarski Food

VEAL POJARSKI

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover until soft (about 30 minutes), then drain and coarsely chop.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large skillet, melt 1/2 the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until shallot is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. (Do not brown.) Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Soak bread in milk for 15 minutes, then lightly squeeze dry.
• In a large bowl, combine porcini mixture, soaked bread, roasted meat, ground veal, thyme, egg and salt. To taste for seasoning, heat a small skillet and fry a chunk of the mixture until browned. Add salt and pepper to mixture, to taste.
• Divide the mixture in half and shape each half into a ball, with a slightly flattened top and bottom. If using bones, poke a hole in one side of each ball and stick a bone into the hole.
• Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy baking dish and gently lay the balls side by side. Lay 2 pieces of bacon on each and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, basting every 4 or 5 minutes, until sizzling and fragrant. Remove bacon for last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve hot.

VEAL PATTIES POJARSKI

Steps:

• Have the veal ground twice by the butcher, or use a food processor to give the texture of twice-ground veal.
• Place the veal in a mixing bowl, and chill it in refrigerator until very cold.
• Remove the chilled veal from the refrigerator and add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, cream and three-quarters of the bread crumbs. Blend well. Beat briskly in a circular motion with a wooden spoon until well blended and smooth.
• Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Shape into patties about 3/4-inch thick. Coat entirely with the remaining bread crumbs.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the patties in one layer without crowding. Brown the patties lightly over medium heat for about 5 minutes, and turn. Continue browning on the other side until the meat is cooked through without becoming dry. Do not overcook.
• Transfer to a warm plate and wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining butter and cook it until it is foamy. Continue cooking until the butter is a hazelnut color. Add the lemon juice and pour over each patty.

KOTLETY POZHARSKIE (RUSSIAN GROUND CHICKEN CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Soak bread slices in the milk in a small bowl for 15 minutes, then squeeze the bread dry.
• Combine the bread with the meat (grind together if you have a meat grinder), and gradually beat in the softened butter, along with the salt& pepper, until the mixture is smooth.
• Make 6 oval patties from this mixture (about 1 1/2" thick), then dip each in egg and then in the bread crumbs, thoroughly coating both sides.
• Clarify the remaining 10 tbsp butter by, without letting the butter brown, melting it slowly in a heavy skillet over low heat and skimming off the foam as it rises.
• Remove the butter from heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes so they whey can settle out, then spoon off the clear butter and discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan, and return 6 tbsp of the butter to the skillet.
• Place over a medium-high heat and when the butter is very hot fry the patties for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the outside is golden brown and the inside doesn't look pink when pierced with the tip of a knife.
• Pour remaining clarified butter over the patties and serve immediately.