Breaded Bliss

Welcome to Breaded Bliss, your go-to destination where everything is crispy, golden, and irresistibly delicious! Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just someone who loves the satisfying crunch of perfectly breaded delights, this page is dedicated to celebrating the art and joy of breaded food. You can explore these classic comfort favorites of the endless possibilities of crispy coating. 

Here, I will introduce the methods for breading different ingredients and how to fry them

Meats:

Chicken Breast/Turkey Breast: I slice the chicken or turkey breast into moderately thick pieces. Some people like to tenderize the meat, but I usually don't. I salt the slices, then coat them in flour, beaten eggs, and finally breadcrumbs. I place them in hot oil, and once they start to get a little color, I reduce the heat to medium and fry them until done.

Chicken Wings: I salt the wings, then coat them in flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs, one after the other. I place the breaded wings in hot oil. Once one side starts to brown, I turn them over, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to medium. I flip them several times, cooking for about 15-20 minutes, and then fry them until crispy at the end.

Chicken Thighs: I remove the skin from the whole chicken thighs, cut them in half, salt them, and then coat them in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. I place the breaded thighs in hot oil. Once one side starts to brown, I turn them over, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to low/medium. I flip them several times, frying for about 20-25 minutes, and then fry them until crispy at the end.

Pork Loin: I tenderize the pork loin slices, salt them, and let them sit for an hour. I then coat the slices in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, making sure to let the excess egg drip off. This is important because if too much egg remains, the coating will puff up during frying, causing the meat to curl up inside, making it tough instead of tender and juicy. I fry the breaded slices quickly in very hot but not too much oil. This is also important to prevent the sinews in the meat from contracting, which would toughen the meat. If the oil starts to "smoke", I reduce the heat to medium.

Chicken Livers: I soak the chicken livers thoroughly until the water runs clear, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. Do not salt them! For breading, I first dip them in flour, then in egg, and then again in flour, followed by egg, and finally coat them in breadcrumbs. This double breading prevents the livers from "spitting" during frying, and the thorough drying also helps with this. I place them in hot oil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and fry them on both sides until they are nicely browned. I only salt them after frying. Be very careful! Even with the greatest precautions, the liver may be "spitting" during frying! Usually served with tartar sauce.

Bologna: The secret to fried bologna is to dip it twice in flour and eggs so it doesn't curl up. I take the thicker slices of bologna and first coat them in flour, then in eggs, and again in flour and eggs, before finally coating them in breadcrumbs. Once all the slices are breaded, I fry them in very hot oil.

Fish Filet: I salt the fish fillets and let them sit for half an hour. Before breading, I drain them well, then coat them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. After that, I fry them in plenty of oil and place them on paper towels. 

Vegetables/other ingredients:

Cauliflower/Broccoli: I separate the cauliflower or broccoli into florets and cook them in salted water, but not too soft—just until a fork can pierce them. Instead of coating the florets separately in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, I mix the flour and egg together to create a thick batter, which I thin with a little milk and salt. I coat the pre-cooked cauliflower or broccoli in this batter so it's fully covered, let it drip off, then roll it in breadcrumbs. Finally, I fry them in hot oil until they’re golden brown and crispy.

Zucchini: I slice the zucchini into rounds, salt them, then coat them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. I fry the coated slices in hot oil until they’re crispy and golden brown.

Squash: I cut the squash into slices, salt them, and let them sit for about half an hour. Then, I coat the slices in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot oil until they’re golden and crispy.

Mushroom:  I cut the muschroom, salt them, and let them sit for about half an hour. Then, I coat the slices in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot oil until they’re golden and crispy.

Cheese: The secret to fried cheese is to dip it twice in flour and egg to prevent the cheese from oozing out of the coating. I take thick, cold slices of cheese and first coat them in flour, then in egg, and then again in flour and egg before finally rolling them in breadcrumbs. Once all the slices are breaded, I fry them in hot oil until golden and crispy. Usually served with tartar sauce or mayonnaise, or with blueberry jam.

Garnishes:

Steamed Rice: 200g rice, 4 tbsp oil, salt

I thoroughly rinse the rice, drain it, then place it in the heated oil, stirring until the rice turns white. After that, I add double the amount of water (you can use a cup: 1 cup rice, 2 cups water), salt it, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and let it cook until all the water is absorbed. Then, I cover it, remove it from the stove, press a kitchen towel onto the lid, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Finally, I remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.

Rice with Peas (rizibizi in Hungarian): I mix the steamed rice with cooked green peas.

Mashed Potatoes: I cut the potatoes into cubes and cook them in salted water. When the potatoes are soft, I drain the cooking water. I add butter and mash the potatoes together. I mix in a little milk, being careful not to over-thin it. If needed, I add more salt. I also season with a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.

Mashed Potatoes with Onions: I cut the potatoes into cubes and cook them in salted water, while sautéing the diced onions in fat. When the potatoes are cooked, I drain the water, mash them, and pour the sautéed onions with the fat over them, mixing well.

French Fries: Peel the potatoes, then wash them thoroughly. It’s recommended to keep them under water for at least four to five minutes to remove as much starch as possible. Pat them dry; otherwise, they will splatter when placed in hot oil. Cut the potatoes into thin, long, uniform pieces. It’s important to fry them in plenty of hot fat. Pour oil into a larger, deeper pot and heat it. Add the potatoes, but avoid overcrowding the pot. Do not stir, just shake the pot gently as the potatoes can easily break. Fry until golden brown, then remove them and place them on paper towels to absorb the oil. While still hot, sprinkle with salt or various herbs.

Potato Salad with Mayonnaise: I cut the potatoes into half slices and cook them in salted water, then let them cool. I slice the onion thinly and mix it with the potatoes, adding salt. I prepare a tartar sauce with mayonnaise, about the same amount of sour cream, a little salt, black pepper, sugar, mustard, and lemon juice to taste. I pour it over the onion and potatoes. I mix it carefully, cover it, and place it in the fridge.

Parsley Potatoes: Thoroughly wash the potatoes, peel them, and cut them into cubes. Then, cook them in salted water until they are partially tender. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley. In a pan, heat some butter and sauté the parsley for 2 seconds. Add the potatoes, mix them well, and sauté together for half a minute. 

Salads:

Cucumber Salad:  Thinly slice the cucumber and the small onion. Salt them separately and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. In a bowl, prepare the salad dressing by mixing sugar and vinegar to taste, dilute with water, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour this mixture over the onions. Initially, there's no need to add salt because the onions are already salted. Squeeze the excess water from the cucumbers, add them to the salad dressing, and mix well. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, sugar, or salt as needed.

Tomato Salad: Slice the tomato and chop a small onion. Salt them separately and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. In a bowl, prepare the salad dressing by mixing sugar and vinegar to taste, dilute with water, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour this mixture over the onions. Initially, there's no need to add salt because the onions are already salted. Add the tomatoes to the salad dressing, and mix cautiously. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, sugar, or salt as needed. You can further season to taste with thyme, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Sour Cream Cucumber Salad: 1 cucumber, 1 small onion, salt, 3 dl sour cream; Peel the cucumber and thinly slice it. After peeling the onion, cut it in half and slice it thinly, then mix the two together. Place them in a bowl, add salt (about 1 small teaspoon), and let them sit for an hour. Then, add the sour cream, mix well, and chill before serving.

Cabbage salad: 1 head of cabbage, 2 onions, 1 bell pepper, 1 not-too-ripe tomato, vinegar, sugar, salt;  I shred the cabbage, thinly slice the onions and bell pepper, salt them together, and let them sit for an hour. In a bowl, I prepare the salad dressing by mixing sugar with vinegar to taste, then diluting it with water and stirring until the sugar dissolves. No need to add salt, as the cabbage is already salted. I squeeze the cabbage, then place it in the dressing. On top, I cut a large, not-too-ripe tomato into wedges and press it into the salad dressing as well. I let it marinate in the refrigerator for one day. You can also add ground pepper and caraway seeds if you like.

Specialties:

Mátrai Borzaska: Mátrai Borzaska is a very hearty dish from the Mátra region, best enjoyed with pickles or salad. The dish is traditionally made with pork loin, but you can also prepare it with chicken or turkey if you prefer: 1 large potato, 1 egg, flour, 2-3 cloves of garlic, sour cream, grated cheese; I grate the potato, press the garlic into it, add the egg, and just enough flour to keep the mixture slightly runny. I season with salt and pepper. I dip the meat slices first in flour, then in this batter, and fry them in plenty of hot fat. On top, I add (garlic-flavored) sour cream and (smoked) grated cheese.

Parisian Chicken/Turkey Breast: Parisian-style meats are also very delicious and come in handy if you don’t have breadcrumbs at home. I salt the meat slices and let them sit for a bit, then coat them in flour, egg, and flour again. I fry them in plenty of fat over low heat, turning them several times until cooked.