A real winter staple, my first experience of this classic dish was while I worked in Jersey. I learned so many important things there which I’ve carried with me, and this dish reminds me of eating together in the restaurant every day at 11.30am and 5.30pm. The Wiener Schnitzel was part of our repertoire and I still love to eat this dish on a Sunday evening at home. The classic Wiener is made with veal, but I find that good quality pork produces a great result too.
- 4x 120g pork medallions
- 2tbsp plain flour
- 1 large egg
- 1tbsp milk
- 100g breadcrumbs
- salt
- milled black pepper
- sunflower oil
- Lay out four sheets of cling film on the kitchen bench and place a pork medallion on each. Cover with another sheet of cling film and then flatten each medallion to approx. 5mm thick by gently tapping with a meat mallet (or the base of a small saucepan).
- Lay out three shallow dishes large enough to comfortably hold a single piece of meat. Place the flour in the first, the egg and milk beaten together in the second, and the breadcrumbs in the third.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper. Then, one at a time, pass each piece of pork through the flour, the beaten egg and the breadcrumbs – turning to coat well and pressing down to ensure that the crumbs adhere nicely. Set the pork aside.
- Heat sunflower oil in a large frying pan (it’s important to be generous with the oil, you want a depth of about 1cm). When almost smoking, carefully add as many schnitzel as the pan can accommodate in a single layer without crowding. Gently shake the pan back and forth, bathing the schnitzel in hot oil – the schnitzel should puff up at this stage. When it is browned on the bottom, carefully turn it over and continue cooking, still shaking the pan, for approx. 3 mins. When golden brown and crisp on both sides, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll and place in a low oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining schnitzel.
- Serve with a wedge of lemon, fried parsley and cranberry sauce. Sautéed potatoes and a green leaf salad work well as accompaniments – or go really traditional with cabbage, potato and cucumber salads.
Potato Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
600g waxy salad potatoes (Pink fir, Anya, La Ratte or Charlotte), washed, not peeled
1 litre water
1tbsp coarse salt
1tsp caraway seeds
250ml beef stock (from a stock cube)
3tbsp cider vinegar
50g white onions, finely sliced
A pinch of caster sugar
1tsp tarragon mustard (or Dijon)
salt
milled black pepper
6tbsp rapeseed oil (or sunflower oil)
chopped parsley
Method
Simmer the potatoes in the water with the salt and caraway seeds until just tender. Drain in a colander and then peel when cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes into a bowl while still hot, then douse immediately with the beef stock and cider vinegar. Add the onions, sugar and mustard, and season. Stir with a metal spoon until the potatoes begin to release some starch and the mixture becomes creamy. Add the oil and continue stirring to emulsify. Check the seasoning and finish with chopped parsley.
Cabbage salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
600g white cabbage
250ml beef stock (from a stock cube)
1tsp caraway seeds
3tbsp cider vinegar
75g smoked streaky bacon, cut crossways into fine strips
3tbsp rapeseed oil (or sunflower oil)
salt and milled black pepper
Method
Slice the cabbage very, very finely (or use a grater) and place it into a saucepan. Heat the stock with the caraway seeds and vinegar, and pour over the shredded cabbage. Cook gently in the covered pan until the cabbage begins to soften, but remains crunchy. Drain in a colander. Briefly sauté the bacon in a non-stick frying pan. Add the bacon and any fat it has released to the cabbage. Add the oil and stir through. Season.
Cucumber salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced thinly
2½tsp salt
240g sour cream
80g crème frâiche
1tbsp horseradish sauce
1tbsp cider vinegar
½tsp caraway seeds
2tsp chopped dill
2 small garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
milled white pepper
Method
Place the cucumbers in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1½tsp salt, and leave for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream, crème frâiche, horseradish, vinegar, caraway seeds, dill, garlic, remaining 1tsp of salt, and a good grind of white pepper. Drain the cucumbers and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before transferring to a bowl. Stir in enough dressing to just coat the cucumber (reserve any left over).
