Vegetarian cutlets that beat the heat: Eggs, mushrooms, and cheese

Traditional cutlets have some strong competition. They can also be made from vegetables, but that's not the only option for their meatless version. This time, I used three other well-known ingredients.

The first ingredient is eggs. Egg cutlets are well-known but are more associated with breakfast. So, I added mushrooms and cheese to them. This way, they became lunch cutlets that taste great with cucumber salad, green salad, and virtually any coleslaw.

Preparing these cutlets is incredibly simple. The first ingredient, eggs, just need to be boiled. You can do this in advance but always monitor the time. The eggs shouldn't be soft in the middle, as they will be grated later. Hard-boiled eggs should be cooked for 7-8 minutes before the water boils. This ensures that the yolk maintains its beautiful, sunny color. After boiling, cool the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking process.

The second ingredient, mushrooms, needs to be sautéed. The secret to perfectly sautéed mushrooms? Prepare them properly before they hit the pan. Instead of salting them right after chopping, sprinkle them with a few drops of lemon juice. Citric acid prevents the mushrooms from darkening and helps them retain a firm texture. Adding salt to mushrooms right before sautéing causes them to release water. This water dilutes the fat in the pan, resulting in the mushrooms stewing in their juice rather than sautéing. As a result, they become soft and dark and lose their flavor.

The third ingredient is cheese, which needs to be grated. That's why it's best to buy it in a block. Which cheese should you choose? Go for cheeses that melt well. We recommend gouda, edam, or emmental.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 12 ounces mushrooms
• 2 ounces yellow cheese
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying
• Breadcrumbs for coating

Instructions:

1. Boil five eggs until hard, cool them, and grate them on a fine grater.
2. Wash and finely chop or grate the mushrooms. Grate the cheese as well.
3. Finely chop the onion. Sauté it in hot oil until translucent.
4. Add the mushrooms and sauté. Add the minced garlic clove and season with salt and pepper when they soften.
5. Mix the mushrooms with the eggs and cheese. Add one raw egg and breadcrumbs for the correct consistency when forming cutlets.
6. Coat the cutlets in breadcrumbs, then fry them in hot oil on both sides.