Tip: The cutlet must be very thin, the flour light, the eggs beaten, the breadcrumbs applied with a light hand — and, most importantly, the schnitzel must swim in hot fat.

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Serves 4

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Ingredients

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4 to 8 skinless pheasant breasts

Salt

1 cup flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup breadcrumbs

Enough lard, butter or duck fat to come 1/2 inch up the sides of your frying pan; if you don't have lard, butter or fat, oil will do but it's just not as flavourful

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200g Cherry tomato

2 Shallots, peeled, chopped in 2cm cubes

3 Garlic cloves, crushed

1 Chili, cut into quarters

20g Coriander Leaves

60ml Olive Oil

50ml White wine vinegar

Salt

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Method

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Lay one breast at a time in between 2 bits of cling film and gently hammer (with the same force you would knock on a door) flat, about 1/4 inch thick all over. Work from the center of the breast outward. You will need to pound the thick end of the breast more than the thin end.

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Preheat the oven to 90°C. Place a baking sheet lined with paper towels in the oven; this is for the schnitzels as they come out of the frying pan.

 

Set up a breading station. Put the flour in a large tray, plate or shallow bowl. Do the same for the eggs, and the breadcrumbs. Put the lard or butter in the frying pan and turn the heat to medium-high.

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When the fat is ready, cover the breast in flour and shake off the excess. Dredge it in egg, then the breadcrumbs. Do not press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Immediately put the breaded breast into the hot fat. Shake the pan a little to make sure the schnitzel does not stick to the bottom. The schnitzel should float in the hot fat. Repeat quickly with as many cutlets as will fit in your pan.

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Fry the schnitzels until they are golden brown, about 4 minutes. As the first side is cooking, spoon some hot fat over the other side. This will speed up the cooking process. Flip only once. When the schnitzels are done, put them in the oven on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining schnitzels until they're all done.

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For the burnt tomato salsa

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Cook the tomatoes on a very hot dry pan until the skin starts to go black on the outside (about 3 minutes). After the first minute add in the garlic and shallots. You don't want to cook everything, just heat it to get the smokey flavour.

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Tip into a blender and add in the coriander, olive oil, white wine vinegar and season with a little salt. Blend until you have a salsa texture, not smooth like soup.

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Serve on the side of your pheasant schnitzel, with perhaps a salad, a coleslaw or some crushed roasted potatoes.

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Note: They are awesome eaten cold as a sandwich filling the next day.

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