2021 Giro d’Italia - Stage 21: Senago to Milano
My 2nd Giro Culinary Ridealong is now in the books! I’m not going to lie. It’s a long, tough slog. I am tired. Not of Italian food - I could eat only Italian for the rest of my life and be a very happy man. But, there is a bit of pressure having to make daily meals that taste great and look beautiful, all while holding down my regular job which has been extremely busy as of late. This has been a welcomed distraction, but, much like a bike rider, it takes a lot of attention. You try to phone it in one day and you may end up like the poor guy who missed a turn today in the last stage and crashed right into a barrier...how do you miss a turn?!
Much like last year’s classic finale dish (Osso Bucco), I’m going classic again. How classic? The original version of this dish, made with veal, is nearly 900 years old!!! That is a classic, indeed. At a certain point, the more popular variation was made with chicken, as is the version I am making today. You’ll notice that there is not a lemon slice on the plate; a typical accompaniment. That is because lemon zest is included in the breading. It really brightens up meat and I will definitely make it this way from now on. Pair it with a simple salad and the (not photographed) luscious sage and lemon butter dipping sauce. That stuff is liquid gold. What’s truly amazing is that this recipe’s author lives not too far from me and spends half the year in Tuscany operating a cooking school/vacation experience.
Chicken Milanese
from Food & Wine, Linda Myers
Sauce
6 tbsp butter, individually portioned
2 medium shallots
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp minced fresh sage
Juice from half a lemon (zest from whole lemon reserved)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
White pepper
Chicken
3 lbs chicken cutlets, ¼-inch thick
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Grated zest from a lemon
3 eggs
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots with a pinch of salt. When softened, add in the cream, wine and stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Then, stir in the sage, lemon juice, and pepper along with a pinch of salt. Stir together, cover and remove from heat.
While the sauce is reducing, prepare the chicken and breading by combining the bread crumbs, cheese and lemon zest, with a pinch of salt and pepper, in a casserole dish.
Scramble the eggs in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 325 and heat 2 large skillets, each with about a 1/2-inch of vegetable oil, over medium-high heat.
Dip the seasoned chicken cutlets into the egg, allowing the excess to drip off and place into the breadcrumbs, covering both sides, lightly shaking off the excess. When the oil is shimmering, place the chicken into the oil. After 1 minute, lower the heat to medium. After cooking for another minute, flip the chicken and cook for an additional two minutes (4 minutes total).
When the chicken is cooked, briefly drain on paper towels and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the oven to keep warm. Cook the remaining chicken over medium heat for 4 minutes total.
Start reheating the dipping sauce when cooking the second batch of cutlets and place into bowls for the table. Plate the chicken with a light salad. Try not to drink the dipping sauce!
______________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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