Traditional Christmas Escalopes
Food for Friends Traditional Christmas Escalopes
Chestnut, Sussex blue and cashew nuts with puy lentils and pecorino
These are currently on our Christmas menu at the moment and a real hit. Serve them with roast potatoes, gravy and vegetables of your choice or simply make some mini ones as a canapé served with cranberry sauce.
Makes 12 escalopes
500g puy lentils
250g chestnuts
1/2 bunch of spring onions
200g breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 bunch of parsley
300g blue cheese (dolcelatte)
1/2 bunch of celery
200g pecorino, grated
3 eggs for egg wash
Flour for dusting
Breadcrumbs for crumbing escalopes
Preheat oven 180°c
- 1. Put the puy lentils into a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes or until soft but with a bite, drain and refresh.
- 2. Dice the chestnuts, finely chop the spring onions and parsley and celery and place in a large bowl. Add the lentils, and crumble in the blue cheese. Add the eggs, the breadcrumbs and the grated pecorino.
- 3. Using clean hands, really mix all the ingredients together for a good ten minutes by which time you should have a good solid paste. Taste a little to check for seasoning or adjustments.
- 4. Prepare three dishes with the flour for dusting, the eggs whisked up and one for the breadcrumbs. Then you need a tray for laying out the finished escalopes.
- 5. Form the escalopes by making a ball about the size of a lime and then flatten it out so it is 1.5cm thick.
- 6. Dust in the flour bowl, then egg wash and then breadcrumb each one.
- 7. Pan fry very quickly on each side for 30 seconds in a little oil and then place in the oven for 15 minutes until crisp and cooked through.