Cotoletta alla Milanese

It is the star recipe of Lombard cuisine that is never lacking in Milan restaurants, whatever their category. In other countries it has been imitated with regular success (Wiener Schnitzel in Austria, Milanese steak in Spain etc).

INGREDIENTS :

• Bone-in veal chop (1 per person)
• Wheat flour
• Egg
• Bread crumbs
• Salt
• Clarified butter (obtained from 100 grams~3.5 oz  of solid butter)
• Extra virgin olive oil

We cover the chop with wheat flour, then dip it in beaten egg and finally coat it with breadcrumbs so that it is well covered.

Now we are going to clarify the butter. We melt about 100 grams (3.5 oz) in a small saucepan over low heat and let it rest. After a few minutes the melt will "order" into three layers. The upper part will be discarded by removing it using a slotted spoon. The next one is the one that interests us (clarified butter) and it will be separated by simple decantation. The last whitish one (the serum) is simply removed.

The chops are fried one by one with a little clarified butter and a tablespoon of virgin olive oil until golden brown and crispy. We say one by one because they are of considerable size and occupy the entire pan. And we mix the clarified butter with olive oil to prevent the fat from burning prematurely.

 It is served with lemon slices and a little salad or with chips.

You may think that it is a simple breaded steak and perhaps you are right, but for some reason the cotoletta becomes much more appetizing than a simple breaded steak and if you are lucky enough to find a good meat with little fat and very tender, the described way of preparing it enhances it considerably.