Chicken Kiev - Kiovan Kana

Butter was always special in Finnish cooking culture. In the past it was a valuable trade good and even exported to other countries. In the 80ties it was common to make butter with herbs like parsley, paprika or garlic and put it on top of a steak.

The origin of Chicken Kiev is a bit confusing and lost in history, if it was Ukraine, France or Russia. However, it was popular in the Soviet Union and in St. Petersburg (Leningrad at that time) and it can be assumed it travelled from there to Finland which had close ties with the Soviet Union when Finland was under President Urho Kekkonen. 

Urho Kekkonen (President 1956–1982) managed Finnish-Soviet relations through the "Paasikivi–Kekkonen line," a policy of close, often personal, diplomacy with Soviet leaders like Nikita Khrushchev to maintain Finnish independence and neutrality.

While sometimes accused of "Finlandization"—overly accommodating Soviet wishes—Kekkonen used these ties to have a stable and progressing Finland and avoiding Soviet occupation. Kekkonen was famous for his hospitality, drinking and sauna session with Soviet leaders.  A 5-hour sauna session and unknown amount of alcohol in 1960 is credited with helping smooth Finland's integration with European trade communities. The Tamminiemen sauna can be rented for events nowadays, but it is quite expensive.

Ingredients:

Spiced Butter:

100 g Soft butter

2 Garlic cloves

3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

Bit of salt (depends if and how salted your butter is)

For the chicken:

4 Thick chicken breast filets (the one I used were a bit smaller, so I took 6)

1 dl Flour

1-2 dl Breadcrumbs

½ tsp Salt

2 Eggs (large)

2 Tbsp Milk or cream

½ tsp Black pepper

Oil for frying

Instructions:

Mix the ingredients for the butter well and freeze the butter.

Cut a small horizontal pouch into the chicken breast and stuff in the ice cold butter pieces. Mix in a deep plate the egg, milk and spices, put in anther deep plate the flour and in a third one with the breadcrumbs. Put the chicken breast first into the egg mix, then in the flour mix, then back again into the egg mix and finally the breadcrumbs.

Fry in hot oil, but not too long, so that the butter is not fully “gone”.

Serve with rice, sauce (e.g. mushroom sauce) and corn-pea-paprika mix.