Kotlety Pozharskie (Russian Ground Chicken Cutlets)

Low fat and low carb, inexpensive dinner. Goes nicely with mashed potatoes. Said to have been created for Alexander I in a popular tavern in the small Russian town of Torzhok. Turkey can also be substituted for the chicken

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 5  slices  home style bread, crust trimmed off (4 oz)
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 2  lbs  ground chicken breasts (or 1 lb ground chicken & 1 lb lean finely ground veal)
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1/4 lb)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1  egg, beaten
• 2  cups  fresh breadcrumbs, pulverized in a blender or shredded with a fork
• 10  tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Soak bread slices in the milk in a small bowl for 15 minutes, then squeeze the bread dry.
2. Combine the bread with the meat (grind together if you have a meat grinder), and gradually beat in the softened butter, along with the salt& pepper, until the mixture is smooth.
3. Make 6 oval patties from this mixture (about 1 1/2" thick), then dip each in egg and then in the bread crumbs, thoroughly coating both sides.
4. Clarify the remaining 10 tbsp butter by, without letting the butter brown, melting it slowly in a heavy skillet over low heat and skimming off the foam as it rises.
5. Remove the butter from heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes so they whey can settle out, then spoon off the clear butter and discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan, and return 6 tbsp of the butter to the skillet.
6. Place over a medium-high heat and when the butter is very hot fry the patties for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the outside is golden brown and the inside doesn't look pink when pierced with the tip of a knife.
7. Pour remaining clarified butter over the patties and serve immediately.