I was recently in St Petersburg Russia and had a great lunch at Tsar Restaurant (note: avoid bottled water, each one cost $25). I decided to try the Chicken Kiev, which was pretty common on the restaurant menus in St. Petersburg, and it seemed so “Russian” (though I later discovered that it’s not).
Chicken Kiev is actually French in origin. Russian aristocracy became very interested in French cuisine in the 1700s and they would send their Russian chefs to France to train or bring French chefs into Russia. A French chef called Nicolas Francois Appert invented Chicken Kiev in the early 1800s. Appert's invention became famous and Russian chefs tried to imitate Chicken Kiev, calling the dish "cotelettes de volaille" instead of Chicken Kiev.
Early restaurants in New York City changed the name back to Chicken Kiev, in an attempt to attract the new Russian immigrants and this name stuck. Traditionally, it is deep fried in oil, but I found a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that achieves the same crisp coating with frying.
Now and then I have a craving for red meat. And when that craving comes
I want a meal that's fast and easy to make. Steak au poivre is my
answer. It's a French-restaurant favorite. I don't think there's anyone
out there who can dispute that. It's one of my absolute favorite dishes
and I almost always order it if I see it on a menu. But it's so simple
to make at home when I feel like staying in. It's quickly cooked in a
pan followed by a luxurious sauce that includes brandy and white wine.
This recipe can be made for a quiet romantic dinner for two or even
doubled or tripled for an elegant dinner party.
. I like to press the steaks into the crushed black pepper for optimal adhesion. For a steak that's beautifully pink inside, a 2-minute cook time per side is ideal.