Oh Crumbs

RECIPES HARRIET BOUCHER | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

The humble, versatile crumbed chicken should be one of your go-to’s. It can be a stand-alone meal, the base of a chicken Parmesan, a crunchy little canapé, or sliced to top a salad.

The classic flour, egg, breadcrumb combo won’t let you down, but it doesn’t always need to be so plain. Add finely grated Parmesan into your crumb for a cheese hit; sprinkle mixed herbs or spices into the flour for an extra flavour bomb; or use my partner’s mum’s secret tip, sage and onion stuffing mix instead of breadcrumbs – it’s delicious. Much debate ensued in the Nourish office as to whether you should double crumb, single crumb, use flour or not. Here is my final answer for the best way to crumb. I’ve used chicken breast but apply this method to anything you are wanting to crumb.

Step 1

Set up your crumbing station with flour in one bowl, beaten egg in another and panko breadcrumbs a third. Add a grinding of salt and pepper to the bowls for extra flavour.

Step 3

Coat the chicken in the flour, making sure there is no raw chicken exposed.

Step 5

Do the same with the panko crumb, carefully patting the crumb into the egg coating.

Step 7

Make sure the oil is bubbling around the edges, if not, add another dash in. Control the heat, you don’t want the crumb to burn.

Step 2

Cut the chicken breast in half so you have two thinner pieces. This ensures it’s cooked through without risking burning the crumb, and you get maximum crunch of course!

Step 4

Dip the chicken into the egg, once again making sure the chicken is completely coated.

Step 6

In a cast iron or non-stick pan, heat a good knob of butter and glug of vegetable oil over a medium heat. Once hot, but not smoking, carefully place the chicken in the pan.

Step 8

Allow the crumb to crisp up and become nice and golden on one side, then flip it over. Once the other side is golden, turn the heat down and allow the chicken to fully cook through. Drain on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil before serving.

SALSA VERDE

LAMB CHOPS

The girls in my family love crumbed lamb chops; Dad not so much. They were often on the menu on his Tuesday bike nights. I’ve stepped them up a level by marinading them in salsa verde to add the extra zing we all need in winter.

½ cup mint, chopped ½ cup parsley, chopped 2 tbsp capers, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed zest and juice of a lemon ¼ cup olive oil salt and pepper 6–10 lamb loin chops 1–1½ cups of breadcrumbs 2 eggs, whisked (we use Otaika Valley free range eggs) ¼ cup flour

knob of butter vegetable oil

Place the mint, parsley, capers, garlic, lemon, olive oil and some salt and pepper into a blender or food processor. Blitz until a smooth paste is achieved. Rub the salsa verde all over the lamb chops and leave to marinade overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Set up your crumbing station with the egg, flour and crumbs all in separate bowls. Start by coating the chops in flour, then egg, then crumbs, making sure each layer is fully coated. Set aside on a plate until all chops are crumbed. In a cast iron or non-stick pan, heat a good knob of butter and glug of vegetable oil over a medium heat. Once hot, but not smoking, carefully place the chops in the pan. Make sure the oil is bubbling around the edges, if not, add another dash in. Control the heat. You don’t want the crumb to burn.

Let the chops cook on one side until the crumb is golden, then flip over. They may also need to be turned on their side to crisp up the thick edge. Once golden on all sides, the lamb should be cooked through.

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HAND BOTTLED IN PAPAMOA

CRUNCHY

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

You won’t be missing meat when you dish these up at the dinner table. Serve with your favourite side salad, roast veggies, or with a slow cooked tomato sauce.

8–10 large portobello mushrooms, stalks removed 125g round of brie, roughly chopped 3 cups loosely packed fresh sourdough breadcrumbs 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped ¼ cup olive oil salt and pepper

In a food processor place the breadcrumbs, chopped brie and thyme along with 1tsp of flaky salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Pulse until combined and starting to clump. Add in 1–2 tbsp of olive oil to just coat the crumb. Place the mushrooms on an oven tray, underside facing up. Drizzle over the ¼ cup of olive oil, being generous with this, as it will ensure juicy mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the crumb mixture among the mushrooms, packing the crumb firmly on top. Place in the oven at 190°C fan bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden and crunchy on top and the mushroom is soft and cooked through.

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