Milanese Mixed Fry (Lombardy)

Meat

This is one of the classic preparations of which the Milanese cuisine is justly proud. The more varied the ingredients, the better. Any or all of the following may be used: Liver, heart, sweetbreads, brains, slices of beef, kidneys, veal of any kind, bone marrow, cockscombs, potato croquettes, one or more vegetables such as young artichokes, zucchini, cauliflowers, etc.

Brains: Soak the brains for 30 minutes in tepid water, then remove the skin and membrane. Simmer for 15 minutes in salted water acidulated with a little mild vinegar or lemon juice. Drain, dry and cut into thick slices. Dip in beaten egg and roll mixture of grated parmesan and breadcrumbs. Deep-fry until golden brown.

Bone Marrow: This is extracted raw from the bones, cut into thick slices, dipped in flour and beaten egg, and fried in hot butter.

Heart: Cut away the walls of the large blood vessels but leave the fleshy flaps intact. Soak the heart for 10 minutes in salted water and rinse it well to remove the blood from the inside. Cook gently until tender, then cut into thick slices, roll in flour and fry in hot butter.

Thin slices of veal: For this, the slices of veal are cut almost paper-thin and nicked round the edges to prevent curling while cooking. Heat as much butter as required for the number of veal slices being used, add the veal, sprinkle with dry white wine and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Lightly brown on one side, then turn the veal slices and brown them on the other side. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.

Calf's liver: Have the liver cut into very thin slices. (Make sure that all the outer skin and blood vessels are removed). Flour the slices of liver, and fry quickly on both sides in hot butter.

Calf's kidneys: Remove the skin from the kidneys before washing them, then split them into halves and slice each lengthwise. Fry in hot butter.

Calf's sweetbreads: Soak these in cold, salted water for several hours to remove the blood. Drain, cover with fresh salted water, and simmer slowly until tender. Take the sweetbreads from the pan, cool and remove any fat and membrane. Cut the sweetbreads into slices. Dip them into beaten egg and then in fine breadcrumbs. Melt some butter, add the sweetbreads and fry them on both sides for approximately 5 minutes - make sure the heat is not too fierce.

Potato Croquettes: Mix thoroughly 2 pounds of mashed potatoes with 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley to taste. Roll into fat, sausage-shaped rissoles, each about 2 inches long. Coat with breadcrumbs and leave for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Heat enough olive oil for deep- frying, add the croquettes, a few at a time, and fry them until golden brown all over.

Zucchini: Wash and thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise or, if preferred, into thickish rounds. Fry in oil until tender and brown. The zucchini may be peeled before frying, but if they are really young and tender, this will not be necessary.

Artichokes: Cut off the stalks and the tips of the artichokes and remove any tough outer leaves. Cut them into rounds, discarding any choke (very young artichokes have no time to form a choke). Drop them into a bowl of wter acidulated with lemon juice. Leave for a short while, then drain, pat dry and cut into slices. Dip the slices in flour and beaten egg, and fry in hot butter.

Cauliflower Flowerettes: Cut out and remove any bruised portions from a large, firm cauliflower. Place the cauliflower top downwards in a pan of cold, salted water and leave for 30 minutes. Drain and break into flowerettes, keeping them all the same size if possible. Cook in boiling, salted water for 15 minutes. Drain carefully and cool. Dip the flowerettes in flour, then in beaten egg, and fry in plenty of hot butter until brown.

No exact measurements are given for fritto misto. One may serve two or three of the above ingredients, or as many as six. When preparing a fritto misto, it is important that all the ingredients should be of the best quality and all much the same size, i.e. more or less bite-sized. It is equally important to remember that the fritto misto must not be kept waiting for, like all fried food, it is not worth eating luke warm. Serve with halved lemons.