KYIVAN CUTLETS WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

SOURCE: MARTA PISETSKA FARLEY. FESTIVE UKRAINIAN COOKING.

Compounding kotlety or “cutlets” to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv often misassociates the name with breaded poultry breast, when in fact, the source can also be the minced meat of any mammalian livestock.  Kyivan cutlets of ground pork and beef take the shape of any normal meat patty or croquette. This recipe incorporates mashed potatoes and marinated herring into the raw cutlet mixture, giving a light and firm body to the cooked meat and providing a subtle sweet briny taste to complement the earthy flavor of mushroom gravy.

Ingredients

1 pound/450 grams lean ground beef

1 1/2 pounds/680 grams ground pork

4 ounces/113 grams marinated herring fillet, skinned, boned, and finely chopped

1/2 cup/120 mL milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon/8 grams white bread crumbs, preferably fresh and homemade

1 tablespoon/15 mL melted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups/104 grams finely diced onions

1 cup/260 grams mashed potatoes

1/2 cup/80 grams flour

1/4 cup/60 mL sunflower oil

2 cups/480 mL beef stock, preferably homemade

2 bay leaves

Mushroom Gravy

1 tablespoon/15 mL sunflower oil

8 ounces/227 grams fresh button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

2 tablespoons/30 grams unsalted butter

2 tablespoons/40 grams flour

1 teaspoon/4 grams sugar

1/2 cup/120 mL beef stock

1 cup/240 mL half-and-half OR 1/2 cup/120 mL milk and 1/2/120 mL heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Specific Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Wide-bottomed nonstick skillet or sauté pan equipped with a lid

Small nonstick skillet or sauté pan

Small bowl

Wire whisk

Serves 10 to 12

Instructions

1. Place ground beef, ground pork, and herring in a large mixing bowl. Stir in milk, egg, bread crumbs, butter, salt, pepper, onions, and mashed potatoes until well-blended. Divide the mixture to 30 equal portions and roll each portion into 2-inch/5-cm balls. Roll each ball into the flour, and flatten the balls gently into oval cutlets.

2. Heat sunflower oil in a wide-bottomed skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté in the cutlets for 5 minutes, turning them over once halfway, or until the cutlets have browned.

3. Pour in beef stock and add the bay leaves. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Cover the skillet or sauté pan with a lid and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the cutlets have firmed up and the volume of the stock has reduced to half its volume.

4. Heat sunflower in a small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté in the mushrooms for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have lightly browned. Set the mushrooms aside in a small bowl.

5. Melt the butter in the same small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until the flour has turned golden brown. Stir in the beef stock and mushrooms, constantly stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce is well-blended and thick. Whisk in the half-and-half or milk and cream mixture. Season the gravy with salt and pepper according to taste.

6. Pour the gravy over the cutlets and let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until the cutlets have absorbed the gravy.

7. Remove the wide-bottomed skillet or sauté pan from heat and transfer the cutlets onto a serving platter. Spoon the mushrooms and any leftover gravy from the skillet or sauté pan over the cutlets before serving.