Editorโs Note: This story originally appeared in Volume 5 of B.H. Magazine. To get your copy (and access to future issues), subscribe here.
I caught my first fish when I was four years old. We were floating down a lake in a boat, and my twin sister Alice and I each had a fishing rod out on either side with a fly on the end. We both caught a fish and wanted to enjoy our trophies that evening.
My dad isnโt known for his cooking, but he was in the army, so he can make a good fire. He burnt some sausages and seared the trout โ surf and turf. Iโve never forgotten any detail of that day. It embodied what I like about food: the hunter-gatherer side of things. It also proves that an ordinary, unfussy meal can still contain wonders.
More often than not, the simplest way is also the best way โ at least when it comes to food. Iโm drawn to unassuming dishes, things you can make at home on a daily basis.
How food makes us feel, Iโve learned, is as much about the memories a dish sparks, or the people we enjoy it with, as it is about the taste. I love the creativity of cooking, the flexibility, not to mention the instant gratification you get when mixing a few humble ingredients and ending up with something amazing.
The key to success in the kitchen is just to enjoy it. Donโt overcomplicate a meal. Donโt overstretch yourself or try to be too impressive. If itโs asparagus season, just cook some nice asparagus with butter and throw it on the table. The best dishes are those where you do as little as possible to the ingredients youโre serving and let them sing.
Chicken Schnitzel, Burnt Salsa, & Fennel Slaw
There is something quite special about a smashed chicken breast covered in breadcrumbs and fried in oil. This dish is crunchy, juicy and slathered in a sharp, spicy tomato salsa with a refreshing fennel slaw. It was the first recipe video I made during lockdown and it was something I always knew people would connect with.
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 100g plain flour
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 200g panko crumbs (or a mix of fresh breadcrumbs & panko)
- vegetable oil
- sea salt flakes & freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon (cut into wedges to serve)
- 300g cherry tomatoes
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (peeled & bashed with the side of a blade)
- 1 long red chilli
- 30g bunch of coriander (leaves only & finely chopped
- 80ml olive oil
- 60ml white wine vinegar
- 2 fennel bulbs (thinly sliced)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- juice of 2 lemons
- Start by preparing the chicken schnitzel. Use a sharp knife to cut each breast horizontally nearly in half, leaving a piece attached so it remains in a single piece, then open it out to butterfly the breasts. Place the first between sheets of clingfilm or baking paper. Gently bash them out one by one with a rolling pin to an even thickness of ยฝ โ 1cm.
- Put the flour, eggs, and crumbs into 3 separate shallow bowls and season the flour well. Get 2 baking trays lined with baking paper ready for the breaded schnitzels to rest on later.
- First, dip an escalope into the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, before passing it through the eggs. Finally, press into the crumbs, applying a little pressure to ensure the whole escalope is coated. Try to keep 1 hand dry at all times by alternating between the wet and dry bowls.
- Put on to a lined baking tray until ready to cook, then repeat to coat all the schnitzels. If preparing them in advance, be sure to keep the escalopes separate; you can stack them on a plate if each is separated by a sheet of baking paper.
- Next, make the salsa. Place a cast โ iron or heavy โ based pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the whole cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chilli and cook for 3 โ 4 minutes until everything is well-charred all over. Remove from the pan and allow to cool, then finely chop. Put in a bowl with the coriander, olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste. Set aside at room temperature.
- To make the slaw, mix the fennel, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
- Heat 2cm of vegetable oil in a large frying pan until hot (you want it to reach 180ยฐC). Gently lower in 1 schnitzel and cook for about 2 minutes until golden, turning to ensure it cooks evenly. Transfer to a wire rack or baking tray lined with kitchen paper and season with sea salt flakes. Repeat until all the schnitzels are cooked.
- Serve the chicken schnitzels topped with the tomato salsa and fennel slaw, with lemon wedges for squeezing.
Crushed Potatoes
Try to find the La Ratte variety of potato for this. These irregularly shaped long potatoes have a great waxy dense flesh, which allows them to hold up to crushing and roasting with burnt butter. Herbs and garlic, added at the right time, perfume this dish beautifully and catapult it right to the top of the potato tree.
- 1kg La Ratte potatoes
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 100g unsalted butter (cubed)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled & bashed with the side of a blade)
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 12 rosemary sprigs sea salt flakes
- Boil the potatoes in well-salted water for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then gently crush each potato with the palm of your hand.
- Set a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the crushed potatoes and cook until crispy. Flip them and repeat on the other side, adding the butter and bashed garlic along with the herbs for the final 2 โ 3 minutes.
- Serve the potatoes in warmed bowls, spooning over the buttery juices from the pan and sprinkling with sea salt flakes.
If youโve enjoyed Thomas Strakerโs recipes for chicken schnitzel and crushed potatoes, consider a few more of our favourite stories โ direct from the pages of B.H. Magazine:
- The True Cost Of Luxury: Confessions Of A Restaurant Critic
- Tipo 00โs Executive Chef Reveals Pappardelle With Braised Wagyu & Confit Chilli Recipe
- The Italian Connection: Why The Sgroppino al Popolari Is Summerโs Best Cocktail
- How To Cook A Restaurant-Quality Steak, According To Lennox Hastie
- The Art Of Making In Tasmania
