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Myaso po-frantsuzski

Pork, onion and cheese bake

Myaso po-frantsuzski (мясо по-французски): Soviet festive bake of pork, onion and potato under cheese

Despite the name, nobody in France would recognise "French-style meat": it is a Soviet celebration bake, made for New Year's Eve and 8 March from whatever a family could find, and it still fills oven trays across Russia every holiday. Thin slices of pork loin are layered with onion and potato, spread with mayonnaise and covered in grated cheese, then baked until the top is golden and the meat tender. It is rich, savoury and a little indulgent; serve it with a crisp salad or pickles to cut through. A common mistake is leaving the pork thick, which keeps it chewy while the cheese burns; beat it thin. Check the pork reaches at least 63 °C and rest it 5 minutes. Chef's tip: mix half sour cream into the mayonnaise for a lighter, tangier sauce.
Total time
65 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (7)

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Method

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  1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and grease a 30 × 22 cm baking dish with the 1 tbsp sunflower oil.

    2 min
  2. Step 2: Cover the 1 ½ lb boneless pork loin or neck slices with cling film and beat with a rolling pin or meat mallet to about 5 mm thick. Season with half the ⅝ tsp salt and the ½ tsp black pepper.

    6 min
  3. Step 3: Layer the 1 ⅓ lb potatoes in the dish and season with the rest of the ⅝ tsp salt. Lay the pork on top in a single layer, then scatter over the 2 onions.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Mix the 4 oz mayonnaise, 2 ⅛ oz sour cream and 1 clove garlic and spread it over the onion, then cover evenly with the 5 ½ oz semi-hard cheese.

    4 min
  5. Step 5: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, until the top is golden, the potatoes are soft and a probe in the pork reads at least 145°F.

    45 min
  6. Step 6: Rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with ⅛ oz parsley and cut into squares.

    5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
530 kcal
Protein
33 g
Carbs
21 g
Fat
35 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does myaso po-frantsuzski take?
About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of potatoes?
Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
What can I use instead of onions?
2 shallots per onion.

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