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Mushroom cutlets from boiled frozen mushrooms
Instructions
Finely chop the parsley or any other fresh greens you have on hand. Use a sharp knife on a wooden board for the cleanest cuts that release the maximum aromatic oils from the herb leaves into the finished cutlet filling.
Dice the two cloves of garlic into very small even cubes. Smaller dice releases more flavour into the cutlet filling and prevents large pieces of garlic from dominating any single bite when the cutlets reach the dinner table.
Using a meat grinder, prepare the mushroom filling. Cut the peeled onion into rough pieces and combine it with the boiled mushrooms in the grinder. Grind the mushrooms together with the onion to produce a uniform smooth filling base for the cutlets.
Add a single raw chicken egg to the mushroom filling in the bowl and mix everything together thoroughly. The egg acts as the binder that holds the cutlets together during shaping and frying without falling apart in the pan.
Add the chopped fresh parsley and the diced garlic to the filling. Mix everything together gently to distribute the herbs and aromatics evenly throughout the mushroom mixture for a uniform flavour in every cutlet.
Sprinkle the filling generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly to combine the seasoning evenly through the entire batch of mushroom mixture before moving on to the breading step.
Add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs to the mushroom filling, mix together and let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb excess moisture from the filling. If the filling still seems too wet after the resting time, add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a generous splash of vegetable oil. The oil should sizzle gently when you add a small piece of bread for testing, which signals that the pan is properly hot enough for the cutlets to brown without sticking.
For breading the cutlets, mix the flour with the remaining breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. The flour-and-breadcrumb combination produces a crispier finished crust than either ingredient alone and adheres better to the soft mushroom filling.
Wet your hands with cold water and start forming a single cutlet using cupped palms. Roll the formed cutlet in the flour-and-breadcrumb breading to coat all sides evenly, then place it carefully into the hot frying pan. Continue forming the rest of the cutlets the same way.
Fry the cutlets until golden brown on both sides, turning them carefully with a slotted spatula about halfway through the cooking time. Each side typically takes about 4 to 5 minutes for the proper deep golden brown colour and crispy exterior crust.
Remove the cooked cutlets from the heat and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain off any excess oil briefly. The brief draining step keeps the cutlets crispy and prevents them from sitting in greasy puddles on the serving plate.
Serve the mushroom cutlets made from boiled mushrooms with creamy mashed potatoes and a generous garnish of fresh parsley leaves. The cutlets also pair beautifully with pickled onions or with a simple sour cream sauce on the side. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Drain the boiled mushrooms thoroughly before grinding to remove as much excess water as possible, since wet mushrooms produce a soft soggy filling that struggles to hold together during shaping and frying. Squeeze the cooled boiled mushrooms gently in a clean kitchen towel before grinding for the driest most workable filling. The dried mushrooms also brown more attractively in the pan than wet ones.
- 2
Use wild mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelle or honey mushrooms when in season for the most luxurious flavour in the finished cutlets. To pair these beautifully aromatic vegetarian cutlets with another flavourful homemade main course recipe, try our crowd-pleasing pollock fish cakes in the oven as a healthy fish-based alternative for variety in the weekly menu.
- 3
Let the formed and breaded cutlets rest in the refrigerator for ten minutes before frying for the firmest cleanest result, since the cold helps the breading set firmly to the surface and prevents it from falling off during cooking. Wet hands during the shaping step also help prevent the soft mushroom filling from sticking to your palms and produces neater rounder cutlets in the pan.
- 4
Serve the cutlets with a small bowl of homemade pickled onions or with a simple sour cream sauce flavoured with chopped fresh dill for the proper traditional Slavic experience. For another beautifully tender homemade meat dish to add variety to your celebration menu, try our crowd-pleasing pork ribs in a multicooker as a heartier meaty alternative.
FAQ
Can I bake these cutlets in the oven instead of frying? +
Absolutely. Brush the formed and breaded cutlets generously with vegetable oil on both sides, arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes total, turning halfway through the cooking time. Oven baking produces a noticeably healthier finished cutlet with significantly less added oil, though the texture will be slightly less crisp than the traditional pan-fried version. Both methods produce delicious results.
Can I freeze these cutlets? +
Yes, both raw and cooked mushroom cutlets freeze brilliantly for up to two months in airtight containers. For raw cutlets, freeze them flat on a tray first then transfer to a sealed bag, which prevents them sticking together. Cook from frozen by adding 5 extra minutes to the frying time. For cooked cutlets, cool completely first, then wrap individually in foil and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a moderate oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until hot through to the centre.
What can replace breadcrumbs in this recipe? +
Crushed crackers, oat flakes, chopped nuts, or even dried potato flakes all work as substitutes for breadcrumbs in this recipe with broadly similar results. Each substitute brings its own slightly different texture and flavour to the finished cutlets. Oat flakes add a wholesome nutty character, crushed crackers produce a crunchier crust, and dried potato flakes give a particularly delicate fluffy texture. Whichever substitute you choose, use the same total quantity as the recipe calls for in breadcrumbs.
How long do these cutlets keep? +
Store cooked cutlets covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to three full days for best results. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a small splash of water added to revive the moisture, or in a moderate oven covered with foil for about ten minutes per side. The cutlets also taste excellent cold straight from the fridge and make a brilliant addition to any picnic basket or lunchbox alongside a crisp salad or homemade pickled vegetables for contrast.
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