Stereotypes exist everywhere, even in cooking. We are all used to the fact that the famous Olivier salad is the invention of the French cook.
But, as it turned out, in its history, the salad has undergone so many changes that its “French” origin is almost unprovable. As for the meat a la France, which, incidentally, was originally named after Prince Orlov (Veau Orloff), his recipe reached us almost without loss. Well, perhaps, today, given the various “meat preferences”, the dish is not prepared strictly from veal, but also from chicken, pork and even lamb. Despite the fact that the ingredients that can be considered the basis remained practically unchanged, the methods of preparing this dish have changed from region to region, and now almost every housewife has its own “author” meat recipe a la France.
There is a difference between festive meat in French, prepared for guests and everyday, which is prepared for a family meal. Given the nutritionist and calorie content, as well as the taste of the dish, it is not surprising that it has become one of our compatriots.
In addition to its gastronomic value and certain simplicity of cooking, the meat of a la France also differs such a unique property as universality. If there are no ingredients prescribed in the classic recipe, they can always be replaced by what is in the refrigerator. For example, you can cook meat in French, in which there are no potatoes, but there are zucchini, and the famous “Behamel” is replaced with sour cream-icon sauce or even mayonnaise.
But there are their secrets and nuances in every dish, and meat in French is no exception. The main secret is meat, and the result depends on its choice. When choosing, you need to observe the rule of the “golden mean”. It should not be too dry, otherwise in the process of preparation it will finally lose its juiciness, but should not be too fat, otherwise even a small portion will become an unhealthy cargo for the stomach. The meat should be juicy, but not oily, elastic, but not hard, pleasant pink shade and, of course, fresh.
To give meat more juiciness and original taste before laying out on a baking sheet, it is fried in a hot pan (without salt!). It is also previously recommended to soak it in red dry wine. For those who do not like fried onions, professionals advise replacing it with apples or canned champignons. Zucchini instead of potatoes will be an ideal solution for those who want to eat and tasty and not calorie.