A classic cutlet satisfies those plate-lunch cravings

Beef cutlet is a dish that comes in many forms. In some places it’s ground or chopped beef rolled in a coating and fried. In some it’s a thin slice of beef. In some it’s called chicken fried steak.

The local-style plate-lunch version is a thin, pounded piece of meat, coated, pan-fried and covered in brown gravy.

Shirley Yokota wrote in search of a good recipe. “I’m looking for a recipe from family restaurants like Flamingo or Columbia Inn. It seems like their cutlets were coated with a delicious batter.”

Both those restaurants are gone, but some Flamingo traditions are carried on under a new owner at the Flamingo takeout locations.

Isidoro Comasario, kitchen manager at Flamingo Express in Waimalu, has carried many of the old recipes forward and taught them to the chain’s new cooks.

Comasario said he started with the original Flamingo in 1975 as a dishwasher, but the owner, Steven Nagamine — whom he calls “Papa” — made him a cook.

The new Flamingos offer chicken and pork cutlets, but Comasario said beef follows the same recipe.

The only way to get the formula was to visit the Waimalu kitchen and watch Comasario at work. The recipe lives in his brain, and he’s been making it so long he works by look and feel. “No need measure,” he said.

So I estimated everything he poured out as he made the batter for his cutlets. This means you can’t count on this recipe to be exact, but I did test it out when I got home and I can tell you it works.

He used one technique I’ve never seen before: To fry the cutlets, he put the meat slices on the grill and scooped oil over them, then turned them several times, rather than heating the oil first and laying the cutlets on top.

As for the gravy: Comasario did have measurements for this, but he starts with 15 gallons of turkey stock, from the bones of the roast turkey that’s part of the menu. I reduced that to make about a quart of gravy, which is more than enough for four servings of cutlets, but you can use it on other meat dishes or freeze it.

A reduction of this amount is going to affect taste, so don’t expect an exact replica. But if your objective, like Yokota’s, is a good cutlet and a nice gravy, you’ll be happy.

FLAMINGO-STYLE BEEF CUTLET

• 1 pound beef chuck (also called clod meat)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups cracker meal (or crushed soda crackers)
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Cut beef into 8 slices, 1/4-inch-thick. Pound with mallet or rolling pin until thin and even.

Whisk egg into water until frothy. Add salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in flour, to make a thin batter. Dip beef slices into batter, then dredge in cracker meal, turning pieces and pressing coating in well.

Heat skillet over medium-high and lightly grease with oil. Add cutlets to skillet, then pour 2 tablespoons oil over each cutlet. Turn each piece, then press firmly with spatula. Turn and press 2-3 more times, until crisp on both sides.

Serve with gravy (recipe follows). Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (using 2 tablespoons gravy per serving): 1,000 calories, 69 g total fat, 11 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 900 mg sodium, 64 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 1 g sugar, 35 g protein.

BROWN GRAVY

• 1 quart turkey stock (or water)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon beef base
• 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup flour

Bring stock to simmer in small pot; add remaining ingredients except oil and flour.

Heat oil in skillet over medium. Gradually add flour, stirring to make a paste.

Gradually stir paste into mixture in pot, until thickened. You may not need all of the paste.

Nutrition information unavailable.

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