Milanesa de carne
Milanesa: thin breaded beef cutlets fried golden, with lemon
If there is one dinner every Argentine child grows up on, it is milanesa: beef pounded very thin, dipped in garlicky egg, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. It came with Italian immigrants to Buenos Aires and Rosario, and today it is eaten on weekday nights with mashed potato or chips, cold in sandwiches the next day (milanesa al pan), and on long car trips. Lemon wedges are a must. The mistake most people make is leaving the beef too thick; it should be about 5 mm, so it cooks through by the time the crumb is golden. Chef's tip: bread the milanesas, lay them on a tray and chill them for 30 minutes before frying, so the coating sticks firmly and doesn't fall off in the pan.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Trim any fat and sinew from 1 ⅓ lb beef topside or rump steaks (nalga or cuadrada). Put each steak between two sheets of cling film and pound with a rolling pin or meat mallet to about 5 mm thick.
8 minStep 2: Beat 2 eggs in a shallow dish with 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Spread 5 ½ oz dried fine breadcrumbs in a second dish.
Step 3: Dip each steak in the egg, let the extra drip off, then press it firmly into the breadcrumbs on both sides. Pat with your palm so the crumbs stick.
Step 4: Lay the milanesas on a tray, cover and chill for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours) in the fridge. Wash your hands and boards after handling raw meat.
30 minStep 5: Heat 1 cup sunflower oil, for shallow frying in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat to about 350°F: a breadcrumb should sizzle at once without burning.
4 minStep 6: Fry the milanesas one or two at a time for 2–3 minutes a side, until deep golden. The thin beef cooks through in this time; the juices should run clear when pressed.
6 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper and serve straight away with 1 lemon wedges to squeeze over, and mashed potato, chips or a salad.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does milanesa de carne take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Anhui bamboo shoots with ham
When the spring bamboo shoots push up through the hillsides of Huizhou, farmhouse kitchens braise them with chunks of the region's cured ham. The salty, deep-flavoured ham seasons the broth, and the shoots soak it up while keeping their crunch and gentle sweetness. Serve it as a side dish with rice and other plates, or as a light lunch by itself. Fresh bamboo shoots must be peeled and boiled before use, because raw shoots contain natural toxins; canned shoots are already cooked and only need rinsing. Chef's tip: taste the broth before adding any salt, as the ham often brings all the salt the dish needs.
Peking duck (home style)
Beijing's famous roast duck is a banquet showpiece, carved at the table in restaurants near Qianmen and eaten in thin wheat pancakes with sticks of cucumber, spring onion and a smear of sweet bean sauce. Restaurants use hanging ovens and inflate the skin with air; at home a scald with boiling water, a sweet vinegar glaze and a night uncovered in the fridge get you most of the way there. The prize is the lacquered, glass-crisp skin, with the meat underneath still juicy. Serve it as the centrepiece of a family feast, followed by a simple soup made from the carcass. Chef's tip: dry the duck uncovered on a rack in the fridge for at least 12 hours; a dry skin is the whole secret.
Beef and broccoli stir-fry
A quick coat of cornflour and soy keeps thin slices of beef silky, and a hot wok gives the broccoli char without overcooking it. Faster than ordering in.