No. 941 — Ordinary Mutton Rib Chops
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 941 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Take a rack of mutton and cut chops, allowing two ribs for each. Discard one of the ribs and shorten the other. Clean and trim the chops, removing as many sinews as possible.
Beat lightly with a wooden pestle or the blunt edge of a metal cleaver, shape neatly and salt at a rate of half a level small spoon per Russian pound of meat.
Coat in finely crushed breadcrumbs. Melt clarified Russian butter in a frying pan or a tinned copper baking sheet; when it begins to bubble, add the chops.
Lightly brown one side, turn and brown the other, then reduce the heat and finish more gently. The source gives about fifteen minutes in all.
The historical test for doneness is that pressing the meat with a knife should produce no bloody juice.
Place the chops on a warmed serving dish. Add two or three spoonfuls of boiled water to the pan juices, bring to the boil, strain and spoon a little of the gravy around the chops.
Serve with mashed potatoes, No. 627, onion purée, No. 645, or onion sauce, No. 642.