Thread: Milanesa

Hi all!
I'm translating a Menu for a friend of mine from Spanish into English. Her restaurant is in The United States and I have some doubts.
For example, would you try to find an equivalent for Milanesa, minutas or empanadas?
I think I've seen it in Spanish but my friend wanted me to translate as much as possible.
Any ideas??

empanadas, if of a single portion and a half moon shape, are known in UK/Australia as pasties, pies are always round in shape and usually but not always more than one serving... I'm not sure if that terminology has been dropped in the states or not, but i can't remember eating empanadas there either!

Cheers Damien

The foreign words are often used in restaurants, since the food item is from the cuisine of a different country. Sometimes there will be an explanation following, but often not. In my part of the US we are used to foreign food words. It would be very unusual to have "empanada" changed to pie.

I agree with mariaklec. In the US, empanada is on the menu just like that, but there can be (not always) a short explanation following. Everybody in the US is used to tacos, burritos, chilis rellenos, and all that. Milanesa would usually have an explanation. I've never seen minutas, but I'd stick with the plan and use the spanish word, but explain.

Hello:
In Mexico, almost once a week we have Milanesas at lunch. Here you see what it is:

MILANESA

The milanesa is a common meatdish mostly in Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay as well as in other American countries to a lesser extent, such as Mexico, where breaded meat fillet preparations are known as a milanesa (In Portuguese, the beef version is called bife à milanesa and the chicken version is called frango à milanesa).

Homemade milanesas.
The milanesa was brought to the Southern Cone of South America from Central Europeanimmigrants, its name reflecting the original Milanese preparation cotoletta alla milanese, which is similar to the Austrian wiener schnitzel. [1][2]
A milanesa consists of a thin slice of beef, or sometimes chicken or veal. Each slice is dipped into beaten eggs, seasoned with salt, and other condiments according to the cook's taste (like parsley and garlic). Each slice is then dipped in breadcrumbs (or occasionally flour) and shallow-fried in oil, one at a time. Some people prefer to use very little oil and then cook them in the oven as a healthier alternative.
Variations

In Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, milanesas are frequently served hot with fried or mashed potatoes, this dish is known as milanesa con papas. They are often used as a sandwich filling, with salad. Lemon juice is also commonly used as a seasoning. Their low cost and simple preparation make milanesas a popular meal.
"Milanesa a la napolitana" with French fries.
By adding tomato paste, mozzarellacheese and sometimes ham, a dish called "Milanesa a la napolitana" (Milanese alla Neapolitan) was created. "Neapolitan" is not taken from "Neapolitan Pizza", but because it was first made and sold in Pizzeria Napoli owned by Jose Napoli in the 30s.
Milanesa Kaiser, or Escalopa as it is known in Chile, is a Chilean variant (where normal milanesas are also eaten) reminiscent of cordon bleu or valdostana, with a layer of melted cheese between the beef and a layer of ham.
In Mexico and Southern United States milanesas are eaten in some regions, often in a torta (a sandwich made with bolillo or telera bread). In Northern Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua (due to American influence), it features lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise like a traditional sandwich, but the milanesa is also common in these regions as the main course of a meal. A milanesa Memela napolitana]] is made with a thick fried tortilla with a milanesa on top, with ham, tomato sauce and grated cheese. In Mexico, milanesa usually refers to the preparation method, any type of meat that is pounded thin, breaded and fried might be referred to as a milanesa. While eating milanesa in a sandwich is most common, it might be served as a main course as well.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milanesa

Here you have information about ...

EMPANADAS:

An empanada (not to be confused with the Portuguese empada) is a stuffed bread or pastry. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. In Spain, empanadas are usually large and circular in size and are cut into smaller portions for consumption, whereas in South America empanadas are normally small and semi-circular. Empanadas are also known by a wide variety of regional names.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada