January 27 – February 2, 2025

Tuesday:                   Pasta with Broccolini, Peas and Pancetta

Wednesday: Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce and Roasted Vegetables

Thursday: Gnocchi-Leek Soup with Greens

Friday:                       Pasta with Olives, Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Saturday:                  Margherita Pizza

Sunday:                     Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy and Cauliflower Purée

Note: I have been scolded by Billy for the deplorable quality of my photography and, looking over last week’s post, I must agree. I shall endeavor to do better.

 
Is it just me, or do German words sound a bit funny to you?  When I hear the word ‘schnitzel,’ I almost invariably Gesundheit’ because I am the kind of annoying person who puns, plays with words and sounds, has his own special vocabulary and has dozens of immediate responses to dozens of typical words, statements and questions.  I herewith apologize to SWMBO for having to put up with this for 47 or so years.  But she is realistic enough to know that I’m not going to change and that she still faces a Purgatory’s-worth of annoyance.

But “schnitzel,” disappointingly, is not funny in German, it just means ‘slice’ in German and refers to a dish in which thin slices (usually pounded down to about 1/8” thick or thinner) of veal, pork or chicken that are breaded, then fried and served with a garnish of lemon and a side of potatoes.  Ho-hum, you say.  Au contraire (we’re beginning to mix a lot of languages here), this simple dish is one of the great comfort foods in cold weather.  And while the weather in Pittsburgh is not particularly cold for this time of year, it is damp and windy and bleak and it just feels like you need some schnitzel (Gesundheit – sorry, Beez).

So that’s what we had for dinner last Sunday and it was approved by one and all (i.e., Beez, Billy and me) and trust me, your crew, whether German or no, will approve this dish, too.  But before we get to that, what’s with the ‘Wiener?’

Well, ‘wiener’ just means from Vienna or of Vienna.  Ergo, Wiener Schnitzel means schnitzel Vienna-style.  I am fascinated by Vienna, Austria – its intellectual and artistic history – its buildings – its compactness – and its food.  They serve a wonderful sort of beef-many-ways dinner that starts with a savory beef broth and includes a maddeningly delicious boiled beef (I can’t remember the other slabs or daubs of decadence involved) – all served with potatoes and carrots and mustard and pickles and washed down with beer.  Maybe that will be our next recipe – but for this week, please get busy with that schnitzel (Gesundheit).

PORK TENDERLOIN SCHNITZEL with MUSHROOM GRAVY

(adapted from Simply Symon Suppers)

The pork in this dish is tasty by itself, but topped with mushroom gravy and served with a side of mashed potatoes (Symon suggests puréed Cauliflower – if you want to go that route, add some mashed Yukon golds to the cauliflower which is too thin, to my way of thinking.)

Timing:         

30 minutes, if you cook the gravy and schnitzel together, but my advice is to cook the gravy first and then the schnitzel.  That way you won’t go crazy or burn anything.   That will take you about 1 hour.  You might need to loosen the gravy a bit as you reheat it.

Ingredients:                                       Serves 4

1 pound of pork tenderloin

1 cup of all-purpose flour,2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 5 large eggs

3 ½ cups panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs will work)

¼ cup of vegetable oil, more as needed

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

For the Mushroom Gravy:

1 pound button mushrooms, quartered (3 cups or so)

Yellow onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup), 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons butter

1 medium garlic clove, minced – we did not use garlic, 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Prep:

Bring the pork tenderloin to room temperature (1/2 hour out of the fridge)

Assemble all ingredients

Chop the onion, Quarter the mushrooms

In one shallow bowl combine 1 cup of all-purpose flower with 1 teaspoon of the paprika and season with salt and pepper

In another bowl put the eggs and beat them

In a third bowl put the panko with the other teaspoon of paprika and stir to combine.

Set a wire rack in a sheet pan and turn your oven to its ‘heat’ or low setting.

Cook the gravy:

Put a medium sauce pan over medium-high, add the olive oil and heat to shimmering, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring from time to time, until they are golden brown and crisp (5 – 8 minutes).  Add the butter and, when it melts, add the onion and garlic (if using).  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Now add the thyme and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Here’s the important part – whisking constantly, slowly add the stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. 

Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, taste and correct for seasoning.

Set aside until ready to serve.  Gravy may need to be loosened with a bit of water or stock when you reheat.

Cook the schnitzel:

Cut the pork cross-wise into 4 medallions and use a meat mallet to pound each one to a thickness of 1/8-inch.  To do this, place the medallions in a large plastic storage bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap.

Season both sides of the pork slices with salt and pepper and, one piece at a time, dredge them in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the beaten egg and let the excess drip off, then coat with the panko, using your hands to make sure there is an even, full coating. 

Set a large skillet over medium.  Add the vegetable oil and heat to shimmering, then add one or two pieces of the pork – they should not be touching – and cook until golden brown and crips (1 ½ – 2 plus minutes per side).  Place the cooked schnitzel on the rack in the sheet pan and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining schnitzel.

Serve the schnitzel topped with some mushroom gravy.  A side dish of mashed potatoes would be perfect.