Cutlet

This is a fun spin on traditional roasted turkey. It cooks evenly, slices beautifully, and cooks much more quickly than the whole bird. We’ve even used it on Turkey Day with great success. The Jaccard is a spring-loaded meat tenderizer that has fifteen, sixteen, or forty-eight blades, depending on the model you purchase. It creates tiny, evenly spaced holes throughout the flesh, shortening the muscle fibers. This allows seasonings to penetrate to the interior of the meat, speeds the cooking time, and helps it cook more evenly. It may seem counterintuitive, but it actually works very well. You can skip this step if you don’t have a Jaccard, but we really recommend keeping one in your kitchen. It’s a very handy tool to have around.

This is good to serve with meals needing a protein boost or as a sandwich filling. See the menu with Southeast Asian-Style Spicy Mashed Potatoes (page 187).

These crispy tofu cutlets are another favorite in our home. Enlist your kids to help with the breading and shaking—they’ll have fun with it, and they’re more likely to eat anything they’ve helped make. If you’re serving more than four, the recipe doubles easily, but be sure to use two baking sheets as well.

Fry up this German classic tonight. A squeeze of lemon juice over the top brightens up the thin, crispy cutlets.

Pound the pork into superthin cutlets to get the best crust-to-meat ratio. Make extra for a next-day sandwich.

To make baguette breadcrumbs, grind fresh slices, crust on, in a processor.

Smoked paprika is sold in the spice aisle of the supermarket.

If the cutlets are thicker than 1/3 inch, slip them into a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, and pound them with a mallet.

Give everyday chicken cutlets a delicious lift with a tangy-savory combination of fresh tarragon and capers. If you don't have a spice mill, a coffee grinder works, too—just be sure to wipe it out before and after using.

Schnitzel is the German word for "cutlet" and most often describes a dish of breaded, fried meat. In this version, crispy, quick-cooking chicken cutlets are paired with a sweet-tart salad.

We love the sweet-sour taste of classic veal scaloppini, but we have started using turkey cutlets in our peppery version. Turkey has such a rich taste, plus it’s leaner and less expensive than veal. This recipe is simple enough for everyday dinners, but it tastes special enough that you can eat it by candlelight, especially when it’s served with our almond rice pilaf.

Tonkatsu—deep-fried breaded pork—is a European-inspired dish that evolved during the late 19th century in Japan. Here, the pork is pounded thin and simply panfried. Pickled carrots offer a cool bite.

Gremolata is usually made with parsley, garlic, and lemon peel. Here, shallot replaces garlic, and tarragon and orange peel are added.

Frozen frenched green beans don't need any washing or chopping, and when simmered with cream, white wine, and sage, they become a surprisingly indulgent accompaniment.

How can you possibly improve chicken Parm? By coating the chicken breasts in grated Parmesan instead of breadcrumbs.

Often overlooked, turkey cutlets are a great, inexpensive substitute for veal. Sandwiching a thin slice of prosciutto between two of them and frying the whole thing leaves you with a packet full of flavor and texture.