Crisp Breaded Beef Cutlets with Lemon and Leaf Salad

Flatten to even thickness. Cut the beef into 4 equal pieces, then cover each one with cling film and flatten it with a mallet until it's an even 5-6mm thick. Pat the meat dry and season both sides with 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Flattening breaks up the tougher muscle fibres so each cutlet cooks through quickly and stays tender rather than turning chewy.

Set up three coating stations. Put the flour in one shallow dish, beat the eggs in a second, and mix the panko, cheese, oregano, garlic and remaining 1/4 tsp salt in the third. Keeping each stage separate stops the coating turning gluey and helps every layer stick properly to the one before it.

Coat the cutlets. Dredge each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg and let the extra drip away, then press it firmly into the crumb mixture on both sides. Lay the coated cutlets on the tray. The flour gives the egg something to grip, and the egg in turn acts as glue so the crumb layer stays put once it hits the hot oil.

Heat the oil. Pour the oil into the frying pan to a depth of 4-5cm and heat it over medium-high until it reaches about 180°C, or until a stray breadcrumb sizzles the instant it touches the oil. Getting the oil to the right temperature first seals the crumb crust quickly, so it turns crisp instead of soaking up fat. Never leave hot oil unattended on the heat.

Fry in batches. Fry two cutlets at a time for 2-3 minutes per side, until the crust is deep golden and crisp and the centre of the thickest cutlet reads at least 63°C on a thermometer. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches so the next pair fries just as crisp as the first. Frying only a couple of cutlets at once keeps the oil hot, since a crowded pan cools it down and leaves the crust pale and soft.

Drain and rest. Lift the cutlets onto the paper-lined rack to drain while the next batch fries. Rest each cutlet for at least 3 minutes before serving, which gives the heat time to settle evenly through the meat.

Toss the salad and serve. Just before serving, toss the salad leaves, carrot and red onion with the lemon juice and oil. Serve the hot cutlets straight away with the salad and lemon wedges alongside. Dressing the salad at the last moment keeps the leaves crisp instead of wilting in the acid.