What seasonings and spices to add when preparing cutlets

Seasoning for cutlets makes the taste of the dish more interesting. It contains a whole range of spices. Initially, a cutlet was a thin piece of meat with a bone; the dish was invented in France. In Russian cuisine the recipe was modified. This name now belongs to a product made from minced meat and fish with additives in the form of onions, white bread, garlic and spices.

The most popular spices and seasonings for cutlets

The set of spices for minced meat must be compiled in such a way that the spices are combined with each other. Then the cutlets will only benefit in taste. At the same time, you should not overdo it with seasonings, otherwise the dish will turn out unappetizing.

Ground pepper

The taste of the spice will be more pronounced if you use freshly ground peas. You can add not only black pepper to cutlets, but also sweet paprika and chili. These spices will give the minced cutlets pungency, heat and spiciness. For people with reduced gastric motility, pepper will help digest food faster.

Dried garlic

When preparing cutlets, garlic can be added fresh or dried. The taste of dried vegetables is milder. It is more convenient to use this seasoning. Garlic will give the cutlets an appetizing aroma and piquant taste.This seasoning is especially suitable for preparing beef and pork dishes. Chicken cutlets have a more delicate taste; it is better not to add garlic to them.

Coriander

Coriander goes perfectly with meat, so it’s also suitable for cutlets. Cilantro seeds are added to the minced meat in crushed form. Ground coriander will highlight and complement the taste of meat. This spice in cutlets is easily recognized by its spicy, warm notes.

Fragrant herbs

Sometimes cooks put fresh herbs into cutlets after chopping them first. However, dried herbs are convenient because they are always at hand and can be stored for a long time. It is appropriate to add basil, thyme, tarragon, sage, marjoram, and celery to cutlets. It's easy to prepare your own greens during the season. The twigs are washed, and then dried in any convenient way and crushed.

Nutmeg

This spice is added to many meat dishes; it is also suitable for cutlets. Ground nutmeg is used for minced meat. Since the seasoning has a strong aroma, it should be added in small quantities. The taste of nutmeg develops gradually and leaves a sweetish aftertaste.

How to make your own spice mixture for cutlets

On sale you can find ready-made spice mixtures for meat cutlets, for example from Maggi. However, you can prepare the seasoning yourself. All spices are sold separately in stores. You can even grow aromatic herbs on your own plot. The housewife will only have to mix the ingredients and pour the spicy mixture into a glass jar with a lid.

Component proportions:

• 2 parts aromatic herbs;
• 1 part ground black pepper;
• 1 part paprika;
• 1 part garlic;
• 1/2 part red hot pepper;
• 1/2 part coriander;
• 1/2 part nutmeg.

If desired, you can add 1/2 part of cumin to the composition.

For chicken cutlets, it is better to prepare a separate seasoning from equal parts of paprika, curry, coriander and turmeric. Dried vegetables and herbs, black and white pepper, and a little lemon zest are added to the fish dish. Store a set of spices, like other seasonings, in the kitchen table or on the shelf of a closed cabinet. The shelf life of the mixture is 1 year.

Recipes for cutlets with spices

Meat cutlets are prepared from pork, beef, and chicken. There are many recipes for this dish. Fish cutlets can be made from any fish, but they are best made from pike, pike perch, carp, hake, and pollock. If we talk about the popularity of homemade cutlets, they don’t have many competitors. This dish is also prepared in restaurants.

Juicy cutlets "Kremlin"

List of ingredients:

• beef – 500 g;
• pork – 500 g;
• large onion – 2 heads;
• breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp. l.;
• dried white bread – 5 slices;
• chicken egg – 1 pc.;
• milk – 60 ml;
• water – 60 ml;
• butter – 50 g;
• vegetable oil – 1-1.5 tbsp. l.;
• seasoning mixture – 2 tsp;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Prepare minced beef and pork, at the same time put onion, garlic and white bread soaked in a mixture of milk and water into a meat grinder.
2. Knead the cutlet mass, add finely ground breadcrumbs to it, mix again and pass through the meat grinder again.
3. Add egg, salt, spices to the resulting minced meat and knead thoroughly.
4. Form cutlets, place them in a baking dish greased with vegetable oil.
5. Make a longitudinal indentation on top of each cutlet with a spoon and pour melted butter into it.
6. The dish is prepared in the oven at 200° C for half an hour.Cooking time is adjusted depending on the stove.
7. During the baking process, the cutlets must be moved with a spatula from one place to another so that they do not stick. There is no need to turn it over.

The finished cutlets are juicy, tender, and aromatic. If the dish is prepared for children, the amount of spices is reduced by 2 times.

Chicken cutlets with cream cheese

List of ingredients:

• breast fillet – 500 g;
• cream cheese – 200 g;
• chicken spice mixture – 1 tsp;
• salt - to taste;
• vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. l.;
• butter 20 g.

For breading:

• breadcrumbs - 4 tbsp. l.;
• sweet paprika – 1 tbsp. l.;
• turmeric – 1/2 tsp..

Green butter for filling:

• finely chopped greens (any) - 1 tbsp. l.;
• soft butter 30 g.

Cooking method:

1. Pass the chicken fillet through a meat grinder.
2. Add cream cheese, salt and spices to the minced meat, mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the butter with herbs, form it into a bar and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Make oval-shaped pieces from the minced meat and place a piece of chilled green butter in the middle of each of them.
5. Roll the cutlets in breading and fry in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil until golden brown.
6. Bring the semi-finished product to readiness in a preheated oven at 200° C.

The dish will be ready in 10 minutes. Serve tender chicken cutlets hot with any side dish or vegetable salad.

Pollock cutlets with spices

Ingredients:

• pollock fillet – 500 g;
• white bread – 120 g;
• milk – 100 ml;
• onion – 1 head;
• carrots – 1/2 pieces;
• butter – 60 g;
• chicken egg – 1 pc.;
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp. l.;
• breadcrumbs - 3 tbsp. l.;
• vegetable oil for frying – 1-2 tbsp. l.;
• spice mix for fish – 1 tsp;
• starch - 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt to taste.

Preparation step by step:

1. Cut the fish fillet with a knife and grind in a meat grinder.
2. Soak the pulp of white bread in milk.
3. Pass the bread through a meat grinder, and then mix with minced fish.
4. Sprinkle the cutlet mixture with lemon juice to remove the fishy smell.
5. Grate the carrots on a fine grater.
6. Finely chop the onion.
7. Fry the vegetables in vegetable oil until soft and add to the minced meat.
8. Add salt and spices to the cutlet mixture and mix well.
9. Before forming the cutlets, add potato starch to the minced meat and mix again.
10. Cut the butter into cubes.
11. Form cutlets by putting a piece of butter inside each, dip in the egg, and then roll in breading.
12. Fry fish cutlets on both sides until golden brown and keep covered for 3-5 minutes.

Serve stewed vegetables or mashed potatoes as a side dish. When serving, you can place a slice of lemon on each cutlet.

Cutlet recipes can be very different, but the ingredients invariably include a set of seasonings. Thanks to herbs, pepper, and dried vegetables, the taste of the dish becomes richer. You can buy a ready-made set of spices to add to the minced meat, however, it is better to make the mixture yourself, taking into account your own preferences.