gimme some of that down home cookin...

Often times in a class full of Boston middle-school aged children, I am asked the question…what is your specialty…and although it may sound pompous or certainly arrogant, I almost always reply…I feel comfortable cooking pretty much anything…really my specialty is using a mood and a set of really great ingredients to create a dish that captures the moment or sets the tone for a meal. This is not the answer they are looking for. “Italian food” or “tacos” is what I’m sure they’d rather hear me say. But the more I think about my answer, the more I am sure that the importance of using good techniques is secondary to embracing the emotion surrounding food. It’s like the old saying…”no matter how large the feast, if it’s prepared without love, it won’t nourish the soul.”(not that I’ve actually heard that before…but I’m sure it exists) So, remembering one the most emotionally evocative dishes of my childhood, I want to share a recipe that I learned from my mother. First, let me say that my mother is an amazing cook. She embraced all of the traditional Persian dishes that she had grown up with, as well as some classic American food that she had learned from friends after moving to the States. As far as I can remember, she embraced the opportunity to make lavish feasts whenever the occasion was fitting. These were usually based on Persian cuisine: huge mountains of basmati rice with saffron and red currants; roasts of beef or chicken; stews with spinach, kidney beans, cilantro, and fenugreek—the table was always set with enough food to feed at least twice the amount of guests present! This was done purposefully and showed the true heart of the culture and cuisine. Even if you had none, you gave more than you could to a hungry guest. While this tradition was certain of get-togethers and special occasions, the rigors of being a mother of two and full time nurse prevented my mother from slaving in the kitchen every night. More often we’d have quickly cooked dinners like baked bbq chicken breast casserole or spaghetti topped with a meat infused jar of prepared tomato sauce. Regardless of the preparation time put into a meal, I applaud my mother’s ability to get everyone in the household, herself included, to slow down for a bit and gather around the dinner table almost every night of the week. Occasionally departing from the act of cooking a quick meal, my mother would sometimes put aside an hour or so to cook one of my favorite childhood meals -- beef and potato cutlets. It was the kind of dish that wasn’t lavish or gourmet, but took such patience and purpose that if you even got close to the kitchen you could feel the love bubbling though the air. Some of my fondest memories of childhood come from the happiness I would feel while watching my mother expertly shape and then drop these patties into the frying pan to sizzle. Remembering my jubilation when I got to try a piece fresh out of the pan makes me think it’s no surprise that I picked a career where I could make these tasty things any time I want!
Developing the crisp and golden brown crust while making sure the patties are cooked through is something that requires patience, and careful tending of the heat. Resisting the temptation to eat them as quickly as they come out of the pan requires a healthy dash of willpower. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
1# ground beef or substitute turkey for a more health conscious version
2 medium-large chef’s potatoes, cooked and peeled, and grated
1 small white onion, grated or minced finely
½ bunch parsley, leaves only - washed and chopped
½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 extra large egg
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Canola oil for frying

Directions:
1. Mix the egg, milk, salt, pepper, and parsley together in a bowl.
2. Mix the meat, potato, onion, and bread crumbs together in a separate bowl.
3. Fold the egg mixture into the meat mixture and mix just until evenly combined.
4. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. With your hands, form 4” oblong patties with the mixture and gently place patties, one at a time into the pan. The oil should gently sizzle when the patties are added. Adjust the heat accordingly to achieve this. Without over-crowding the pan, continue to add patties and cook until golden brown and crisp, then flip and repeat this on the other side. Once both sides are browned, remove the patties to a plate lined with paper towels to catch the excess oil. Lightly salt the patties and let cool slightly before serving.