Equipment
Ingredients
Veal Mixture
- 500 g ground veal, cold
- 60 ml heavy cream, cold
- 40 g white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
- 50 g unsalted butter, frozen solid
- 6 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Breading Station
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 2 egg, lightly beaten
- 100 g plain breadcrumbs
Frying & Sauce
- 45 ml clarified butter
- 45 ml chicken stock
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 40 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 5 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine the torn white bread and cold heavy cream. Let sit for 10 minutes until completely softened, then mash into a smooth paste.
In a larger mixing bowl, combine the ground veal, the bread and cream paste, salt, and black pepper. Using a box grater, grate the frozen unsalted butter directly into the meat mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together with your hands just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
Divide the veal mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into oval patties, approximately 2 centimeters thick. Place the shaped patties on a parchment-lined tray.
Refrigerate the tray of shaped patties for 30 minutes. This firms up the grated butter and helps the meat hold its shape during the breading process.
Set up a standard breading station using three shallow dishes: one for the all-purpose flour, one for the lightly beaten eggs, and one for the plain breadcrumbs. Dredge each chilled patty in the flour, shaking off the excess, dip it thoroughly into the egg, and finally coat evenly with breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure adhesion.
Heat the clarified butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the breaded cutlets and fry for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Cook until the crust is deep golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 71 C (160 F). Transfer the cooked patties to a warm plate or wire rack.
Pour off any excess fat from the skillet, leaving just enough to coat the bottom. Return the pan to medium heat and add the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the liquid to simmer and reduce slightly for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the skillet entirely from the heat. Briskly whisk in the cold cubed butter, one or two pieces at a time, until the sauce becomes smooth, opaque, and fully emulsified. Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped dill.
Transfer the hot veal cutlets to serving plates and spoon the warm lemon-butter and dill sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Grating frozen butter directly into the meat mixture mimics the traditional Russian 'Pozharsky' technique. As the cutlet cooks, the butter pieces melt to create small steam pockets, yielding incredibly tender and juicy results.
- Using a panade, the mixture of torn bread and heavy cream, prevents the lean ground veal from tightening up during the cooking process and binds the meat without making it dense.
- Clarified butter is ideal for pan-frying these cutlets as it provides rich, complementary flavor but removes the milk solids that would otherwise scorch at medium-high temperatures.
- When mounting the pan sauce with cold butter, known classically as 'monter au beurre', keeping the heat low or residual ensures the butterfat and water emulsify seamlessly without splitting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce separately from the breaded cutlets to prevent sogginess.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze uncooked, breaded patties in a single layer before transferring to an airtight container. Do not freeze the sauce.
Reheating: Reheat cooked patties on a wire rack in a 175 C (350 F) oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through and crisp. Reheat sauce very gently over low heat, whisking constantly.
