Pork Schnitzel w/ Dill Cream Sauce & Parsley Buttered Potatoes


Fall is my favorite season – I love the chill in the air, the turning of the leaves and grasses, and the food! German potato salad, lots of cabbage, brats, and just recently Barry tried his hand at schnitzel — his German grandmother would have been proud. Schnitzel is German for “cutlet” which is usually made with veal (he used pork) and is thinly pounded, breaded and fried.

Our first fall menu of the season:
Coleslaw
Pork Schnitzel w/ Dill Cream Sauce
Parsley Buttered Potatoes

Pork Schnitzel with Dill Cream Sauce   4 servings
4 pork cutlets, or cut 4 (½” thick) pieces of pork loin and pound thin
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs or panko
1 teaspoon paprika
About 3 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried dill weed or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ to ¾ cup sour cream (full fat) 

1.  Cut small slits around the edges of the cutlets to prevent curling.
2.  Set out 3 shallow bowls. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs (or panko) and paprika.
3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.
Into the seasoned flour . . .
then into the egg-buttermilk, and finally . . .
into the panko breadcrumbs.
4.  Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.


5.  Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not let boil).
6.  Serve the cutlets with the sauce.

Parsley Buttered Potatoes   4 servings
1½ lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Kosher Salt

1.  Boil potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
2.  Drain the water and place them back on the stove for a minute or two, uncovered, to steam them a bit.
3.  Melt the butter and pour over potatoes; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Recipes without photos . . .
Pork Schnitzel with Dill Cream Sauce   4 servings
4 pork cutlets, or cut 4 (½” thick) pieces of pork loin and pound thin
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs or panko
1 teaspoon paprika
About 3 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried dill weed or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ to ¾ cup sour cream (full fat) 

1.  Cut small slits around the edges of the cutlets to prevent curling.
2.  Set out 3 shallow bowls. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs (or panko) and paprika.
3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.
4.  Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.
5.  Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not let boil).
6.  Serve the cutlets with the sauce.

Parsley Buttered Potatoes   4 servings
1½ lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Kosher Salt

1.  Boil potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
2.  Drain the water and place them back on the stove for a minute or two, uncovered, to steam them a bit.
3.  Melt the butter and pour over potatoes; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Autumn Apple Cake – so moist, so good!


Autumn Apple Cake w/ Cinnamon Ice Cream
     What a sweet way to herald the beginning of a new season. This raw apple cake is super easy, super moist and super delicious! And, the cooked caramel frosting is amazing – it starts as a melted liquid, turns to a syrup, and then becomes a thick, spreadable frosting that is the perfect compliment to a moist cake chock-full of apples and pecans.
     It was a perfect ending to a fall themed menu (that post is coming in the near future) featuring pork schnitzel and an array of seasonal sides.

Autumn Apple Cake
1 cup vegetable (canola) oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups peeled and chopped apples

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9 x 13" pan.
2.  Combine oil, sugar, and eggs in large mixing bowl.
3.  Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add vanilla, pecans, and apples.

4.  Spread in prepared pan – the batter will be thick and chunky.
5.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
6.  Cool for at least 2 hours.
7.  Then prepare frosting and frost.

Frosting
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup whole milk (evaporated or almond milk could be used)
½ teaspoon vanilla
---
1/3 to ½ cup chopped pecans for sprinkling over top, if desired

1.  Boil all ingredients (except chopped pecans) in a small saucepan for 2 minutes.
2.  Set pan in bowl filled with ice water. Beat icing until of spreading consistency – it goes from liquid to syrupy and finally becomes frosting like and lighter in color.

3.  Spread over top of cake.
4.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired.


Recipe without photos . . .
Autumn Apple Cake
1 cup vegetable (canola) oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups peeled and chopped apples

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9 x 13" pan.
2.  Combine oil, sugar, and eggs in large mixing bowl.
3.  Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add vanilla, pecans, and apples.
4.  Spread in prepared pan – the batter will be thick and chunky.
5.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
6.  Cool for at least 2 hours.
7.  Then prepare frosting and frost.

Frosting
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup whole milk (evaporated or almond milk could be used)
½ teaspoon vanilla
---
1/3 to ½ cup chopped pecans for sprinkling over top, if desired

1.  Boil all ingredients (except chopped pecans) in a small saucepan for 2 minutes.
2.  Set pan in bowl filled with ice water. Beat icing until of spreading consistency – it goes from liquid to syrupy and finally becomes frosting like and lighter in color.
3.  Spread over top of cake.
4.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired.

French-fried Eggplant — last of the summer-time indulgences


Crispy, and oh, so good! Although I usually try to curtail my consumption of fried foods, French-fried Eggplant is just impossible to resist!
Serve it as an appetizer or as a side.


French-fried Eggplant  About 4 servings
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into wedges or sticks
1 to 2 eggs
1 cup panko
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons TexJoy steak seasoning or your favorite seasoning salt or blend
Frying oil

1.  In a bowl, mix egg(s) until well blended.
2.  In another low, flat bowl, combine panko, flour and TexJoy.
3.  Heat oil in frying pan or deep fat fryer (about 350°).
4.  Dip eggplant wedges/sticks into egg mixture and then panko mixture; repeat if needed to achieve a nice layer of coating.
5.  Place in oil, flipping regularly and fry about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
6.  Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Serve with Comeback Sauce or other seasoned mayo (we like to add basil or salsa to our mayo).

Recipe Notes . . .
·    As a general rule, small eggplants are sweeter than regular-sized eggplants, which can become bitter with age. The skin and flesh are more delicate, as well.
·    Eggplant discolors rapidly once it’s peeled, so take the skin off right before you’re going to cook it.
·    Be sure that your oil is hot. Eggplant is fairly absorbent (think sponge). Frying in oil that’s hot enough and coating the wedges/stick in flour will help keep the oil from soaking into the eggplant’s interior.
·    Fry in small batches so that the heat of the oil is maintained. Overcrowding will result in a drop of temperature.

French-fried Eggplant  About 4 servings
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into wedges or sticks
1 to 2 eggs
1 cup panko
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons TexJoy steak seasoning or your favorite seasoning salt or blend
Frying oil

1.  In a bowl, mix egg(s) until well blended.
2.  In another low, flat bowl, combine panko, flour and TexJoy.
3.  Heat oil in frying pan or deep fat fryer (about 350°).
4.  Dip eggplant wedges/sticks into egg mixture and then panko mixture; repeat if needed to achieve a nice layer of coating.
5.  Place in oil, flipping regularly and fry about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
6.  Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Serve with Comeback Sauce or other seasoned mayo (we like to add basil or salsa to our mayo)