Recipe Chicken cutlets with chive butter and gratin

[Hemulen]

Chicken cutlets with chive butter and gratin

Serves 3-4 | Preparation and cooking time 2 hours

Ingredients / Gratin​

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✧ 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or evoo​

✧ 2 red or yellow/brown medium-sized onions​

✧ 2-3 cloves of garlic​

✧ 100 ml/g (0.4 cups/3.38 fl oz) double cream​

✧ 100 ml/g (0.4 cups/3.38 fl oz) crème fraîche​

✧ 100 ml/g (0.4 cups/3.38 fl oz) milk​

✧ 1 egg for a curdled texture (optional)​

✧ 1 kg (2.2 lb; 4 large, 6 medium-sized or 8 small) starchy potatoes​

✧ 50 g (5 cm x 5 cm/2”x 2”piece) of Parmesan or Gruyère cheese​

✧ 1 teaspoon curry spice mix*​

✧ 1 teaspoon salt​

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___ *A pinch of turmeric, cumin/jeera, fenugreek, coriander, fennel, paprika/bell pepper, granulated garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper and all spice.

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Ingredients / Chive Butter​

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✧ A handful (~50 ml/0.2 cups when chopped) of chives​

✧ 20 g/ml (0.7 oz; a heaped tablespoon) softened butter​

✧ 50 g/ml (0,2 cups/1.76 oz) crème fraîche​

✧ A pinch of salt and pepper​

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Ingredients / Chicken Cutlets​

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✧ 200-250 ml (0.85 - 1 cup) sunflower oil or canola/rapeseed oil for frying​

✧ 500-530 g (1.1 – 1.2 lb) chicken fillets (breast)​

✧ 50 ml/g (0.2 cups/1.76 oz) milk​

✧ 4(-5) tablespoons corn flour​

✧ 1(-2) eggs​

✧ 1 teaspoon curry spice mix*​

✧ 1 teaspoon paprika/bell pepper powder​

✧ A tiny pinch of saffron​

✧ 1 teaspoon salt​

✧ Zest of 1 lemon​

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✧ 1 (grated) lemon​

✧ A small handful of black olives​

Instructions / Gratin

Set the oven to 175°C (340 °F, gas mark 3/4, no fan)

Grate the cheese. Cut the potatoes and onions into thin slices and mince the garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic in oil for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat and take aside. Line a rectangular oven dish (I used a 20 x 35 cm/8” x 12” oven pan, about 7.5 cm/3” high) with parchment paper and fill it with layers of potato slices and onion-garlic mix. Mix the double cream, crème fraîche, milk, curry spice, (optional) egg and salt and pour the mixture on top of the layers. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and cook in the lower part of the oven for about 1 h 30 min. Cover with foil if the gratin starts to brown excessively.

Instructions / Chive Butter

Chop the chives, mix all ingredients, form a roll, wrap in plastic or foil and put in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to cut/take spoonfuls.

Instructions / Chicken Cutlets and Garnish

Heat up the oil in a high-edged frying pan/skillet on medium heat (6-7 on a 12-step scale). Grate the lemon zest and save the flesh for later use. Mix the milk, corn flour, egg/s, curry spice, paprika, saffron, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Hammer the chicken fillets with a meat mallet to form thin cutlets and immerse/submerge the pieces in the batter. Cook the cutlets (one at a time) in oil for ~4-5 minutes per side until done and crispy. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of pepper (and salt) on top, drain on top of kitchen paper and cover with foil to keep the chicken warm. Cut the lemon flesh into thin slices. Brown the slices on one side on high heat on a dry pan for garnish. Serve the chicken with the gratin, chive butter and melon salad/greens (the "salmon roll" -looking melon on the plate is rolled cantaloupe/rockmelon sliced with a cheese slicer). Garnish with fried lemon and tiny slivers of black olives.

 

[Morning Glory]

I love the idea of the chicken cutlets in a spiced batter. I must try this! The chive butter would work for all sorts of other dishes too. Its an interesting twist to add curry spices to the gratin to echo the cutlet batter.

A tiny pinch of saffron

Is it enough to come through when combined with the other spices?

 

[Hemulen]

I love the idea of the chicken cutlets in a spiced batter. I must try this! The chive butter would work for all sorts of other dishes too. Its an interesting twist to add curry spices to the gratin to echo the cutlet batter.

Is it enough to come through when combined with the other spices?

It's a matter of taste, I think. For me, saffron has such a distinct and dominating flavor, that I spot it easily and always use just a tiny pinch. In my opinion the taste - a slight hue - of saffron could be noticed in the cutlets.