Sunny's Kitchen (18 page)

4
Roll the chimichangas.
With the length of the rectangle of fillings horizontal to you, use both hands to fold each end with the 2-inch border in and over the mound of beef. Then fold the 3½-inch flap closest to you over the beef, tuck it in gently, but tightly, and roll the burrito away from you. Set aside. Rest with the seam side down and continue with the remaining chimichangas.

5
Fry the chimichangas.
Fill a large straight-sided pan with an inch of oil and bring it to 360°F. (The temperature will fall when the burritos are added.) When the oil is hot, add 2 burritos at a time, seam side down, keeping the temperature at 350°F. Cook until golden on the bottom, then roll and cook all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer each to a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the second batch.

6
Top the chimichangas.
Turn on the broiler or preheat your oven to 500°F. Place each chimichanga on a baking sheet, seam side down. Mix the Cheddar and Jack cheeses in a bowl. Top each chimichanga evenly with an equal amount of cheese. Cook until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer each to a serving plate and top evenly with lettuce, avocado cream sauce, tomatoes, jalapeño slices, and radish slices.

 

tips!
Use this technique to make a breakfast or brunch chimichanga filled with black beans, scrambled eggs, cheese, and cooked sausage.
•
Make smaller versions of this for kids using 6-inch soft taco shells.

m
y final meal is such a list it should be a buffet. Jaegerschnitzel (meaning hunter’s cutlet) always hovers at the top of the list behind family recipes from my elders. I was introduced to this breaded and fried veal chop with a deep brown mushroom sauce in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. At the end of our block was a restaurant called Rosie’s, and our family went so much with our dog, Ginger, that we were quickly the recipient of a
stammtisch,
a table usually reserved for family members of the restaurant owners. Even on a busy night, the table stays empty awaiting your unannounced visit! I usually pair this dish with a traditional German egg noodle called spaetzle (
Lemon-Thyme Spaetzle
) or mashed potatoes to cradle the gravy. Think of this as the German answer to Southern chicken-fried steak.
SERVES 4

1
Prepare the chops.
Use a rolling pin to flatten the chops to a little less than ½ inch. Season the veal chops on both sides with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.

2
Set up a dredging station.
Place 3 large bowls in a row, with the last one closest to your stove. Next to the last bowl, place a larger plate to rest the chops after dredging. Put the flour in the first bowl. In the middle bowl, whisk the eggs with a splash of water. In the last bowl, combine the bread crumbs, sage, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cardamom, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and lemon zest. Stir with a fork.

3
Dredge the chops.
Take each seasoned chop and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip in the egg wash, then press into the breading mixture, making sure to completely cover both sides. Transfer each chop to the resting plate.

4
Fry the chops.
Pour ½ inch of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chops until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and keep warm by covering loosely with aluminum foil (do not seal) or placing uncovered in a 100°F. to 150°F. oven.

5
Start the gravy.
Reduce the heat to medium and in the same pan used to fry the chops, add 3 tablespoons oil if the pan is dry and half the onions, plus the carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaf, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until everything is tender and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Raise the heat and add the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by about half, add the broth, bring to a simmer, and reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down with a spoon or rubber spatula to get as much liquid out of the solids as possible. Discard the solids and set the liquid aside.

6
Finish the gravy.
Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Over medium heat, melt the butter, but don’t brown it. Then add the remaining onion, all the mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir while cooking a few more minutes until the veggies soak up the flour. Add the reserved sauce back to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes. To serve, pour the gravy over the chops and sprinkle with parsley.

i
love garlic, and if it’s one of your favorite things, I invite you to give this a try and get inspired to add whole cloves to more of your cooking. When taping an episode of my farm-to-table show,
How’d That Get on My Plate?
, I took a trip to Gilroy, California, home of the nation’s biggest garlic festival. I saw piles of bulbs more than four times my height and just as wide at the base. I stood there in awe, thinking how fast could I cook my way through those bulbs! I par-roast them here, then gently mix them into the seasoned loaf so it hums with the sweet scent of garlic. It’s packed with herbs, chewy potato bread for moisture, and a spicy kick from sriracha, but the best part is slicing this meatloaf and hoping for a whole clove in your serving. It reminds me of the baby in a New Orleans king cake!
SERVES 6 TO 8

1
Prepare the garlic.
Trim a thin sliver off each end of the garlic cloves and discard. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic and cook on one side until golden, then flip to cook the other side. (You get extra points if you do the curved side!) Each side should take about 3 minutes. The goal is not to cook them through, just give them color. Remove from heat. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2
Prepare the ketchup sauce.
In a medium bowl, stir together the ketchup, vinegar, and sriracha. Set aside.

3
Blend the meatloaf seasoning.
Whisk the egg in a large bowl, then whisk in the salt, pepper, and paprika until smooth. Add the Worcestershire, thyme, onion, scallion, and ½ cup of the ketchup sauce. Stir to combine.

4
Mix the meatloaf.
With your fingers, gently crumble both the chuck and turkey. Add half the crumbled chuck to the large bowl, then some bread, then half the turkey, some more bread, and repeat
until done. Adding this way will make mixing easier and lighter for a juicier loaf. Add the reserved garlic and, with one hand acting like a pitchfork, gently mix the meatloaf, bringing the egg mixture from the bottom to the top while turning the bowl with the other hand until everything is gently combined. Transfer the meat to a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and flatten the top. Pour the remaining spicy ketchup sauce on top and spread evenly.

5
Cook the meatloaf.
Bake the meatloaf uncovered for 50 minutes. Remove and rest for 10 minutes. Over the sink, tilt the loaf pan slowly to one corner to drain the excess fat and juices. Don’t worry, the meatloaf will still be juicy because you let it rest! Slice 1-inch-thick portions and hope for a double-clove slice!

 

tip!
Crumble leftovers and reheat with cooked pasta, stock, and a sprinkle of cheese for a fun remix.