Milanesa (Spanish for "Milanese") is a form of breaded cutlet in Latin American cuisine that is mainly associated with the Southern Cone and the Río de la Plata region. Although known throughout the region, it is closely tied to the cuisine of Argentina, where it is considered a quintessential national dish and a cultural mainstay. Milanesa is a derivative of cotoletta alla milanese, an Italian dish typical of the city of Milan in which a bone-in rib of veal is used, which is breaded and fried in clarified butter. The original recipe disseminated to other nations via the Italian diaspora, which in Argentina constituted the largest immigrant community in the country as part of a massive wave of European immigration from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Argentine milanesas are typically made with lean, boneless cuts of beef, although chicken, pork and fish milanesas are also common, as well as vegetarian varieties such as eggplant or legumes like soy beans and chickpeas.
It is estimated that Argentines consume milanesas an average of three times weekly, A popular variation originating in Buenos Aires is the milanesa napolitana (Neapolitan), which is topped with tomato sauce, ham and melted cheese, and, according to popular belief, was invented in the 1940s when a cook sought to conceal a burnt milanesa. Milanesas are also commonly served in a sandwich (sánguche de milanesa), a preparation that has become emblematic in the province of Tucumán, where it has been officially recognized as part of the province's cultural heritage. Since 2011, milanesa has been celebrated annually in Argentina on 3 May as "National Milanesa Day", an observance that originated as a social media initiative.
History
thumb|upright|left|[[Migrant workers at the Hotel de Inmigrantes, , during the great European immigration wave to Argentina.]]
The historical origins of the milanesa (meaning "Milanese" in Spanish) are surrounded by debate, and as with many traditional dishes, its nationality is contested between Milan and Vienna. Around 3 million Italians arrived at the port of Buenos Aires between 1870 and 1920, which represents almost two-thirds of the total immigration of the period. As a result, Italian immigration radically altered Argentine culture, especially that of the city, and its influence can be found in aspects such as its dialect or its cuisine. The history of milanesa consumption in the country can be traced through its inclusion in cookbooks, which indicate that "milanesa" was originally used as an adjective denoting a method of preparation before gradually evolving into a noun referring to the dish itself. Since 2011, the country celebrates "National Milanesa Day" on May 3, following an informal initiative launched by fans of the dish on social media.
A popular way of eating milanesas is as a sandwich (sánguche de milanesa), which is particularly associated with the Argentine province of Tucumán, where it has become a local specialty. Every March 18, the "Milanesa Sandwich Day" is celebrated, an initiative that began in Tucumán in 2013 and has since spread to the rest of the country.
See also
- List of Argentine dishes