Chicken Cutlet Pozharsky (or Kiev Cutlet)

Chicken cutlets made of ground chicken are actually hamburger. They are very popular in Russia and are usually served on specials occasions.

This recipe is from the book "The Poetry of the Russian Cuisine" by Tatjana Kutschewskaja (available in German).

Chicken cutlets made of ground chicken are actually hamburger. They are very popular in Russia and are usually served on specials occasions. Pozharsky cutlets are also known as "Kiev cutlets". The book "The Poetry of the Russian Cuisine" tells the story of this accidentally created dish. Tsar Nicholas I. stopped at a tavern and ordered veal cutlets. As tavern owner Pozharsky ran out of veal he made chicken cutlets. The tsar enjoyed the cutlets so much that he decided to include the new dish in the royal menu. Pozharsky started calling himself a "Supplier to the Imperial Court" and made good money. Also Alexander Pushkin tried this famous dish and wrote in a letter to his friend Sobolevski:

Take a break for lunch
At Pozharky’s in Torzhok.
Try fried cutlets
And enjoy your day.

Directions

1. Bone and skin the chicken. Ground white meat in a meat grinder.
2. Soak bread in milk, press slightly to drain and combine with 50g butter, 2 eggs, salt and pepper. Ground in the meat grinder and mix well with minced meat.
3. Add the rest of the milk and mix well until smooth.
4. Form oval cutlets (app. 100-200 g). Dip each cutlet in slightly beaten egg and then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry in butter until crust is golden brown.

For the gravy:

1. Take ready cutlets out of the pan. Stir in flour, 1/2 cup of milk and simmer until the gravy thickens.
2. Peel and finely chop carrots and turnip. Melt butter in a pan, stir in salted milk and sauté carrots, turnip and peas until tender.

Arrange cutlets on serving plates (2 per person) with a portion of vegetables, top with the gravy and garnish with fresh herbs.

RusslandJournal.de Tips:

• If you don’t have a meat grinder, ask a butcher to ground chicken for you.
• Clean chicken bones and form cutlets around them so that each cutlet looks like a small leg. Place a piece of butter on the bone end covered with meat. The butter melts inside when heated and makes the cutlet nice and juicy.

Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes.

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