Further adventures in German Cuisine

I've mentioned it before, and I'll continue to sing its praises today because The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton is an invaluable resource if you plan on diving into authentic German cooking. 

Schnitzel recipes, are typically made with a veal cutlet, and if you've delved past sauerkraut into German cooking you've probably come across Weinerschnitzel, and possible even Jagerschnitzel.  Now I have nothing wrong with cooking with or eating veal, but for my money if I'm going to bread and pan fry, or cover in gravy, the meat I'm cooking with, I find nothing wrong with substituting a pork cutlet from the narrow end of the loan roast.

In German, Jager means hunter, so as a simple dish Jagershnitzel (recipe below) is meant to warm up and fill up a hunter after a day in the field.  Since we were dumped on Friday, I broke out this recipe for my family's Saturday night dinner. 

I served the Jagerschnitzel next to a pile of my homemade Spaetzle coating both with the rich brown gravy created with the dish.  The pork was fork tender and the gravy complemented each part of the dish.  I could easily picture German immigrants sitting down to a taste of the old country in their cabin in PA's north woods.  Maybe that's just where I want to be in my head, but either way this dish warmed my spirit and fed my imagination. 

Happy Cooking
Scott M

Jagerschnitzel

4 pork cutlets
2 tbsp bacon fat or butter
1 tbps minced carrots
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tsp parsley
1 tbsp minced mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup water or beef broth

Pound out pork cutlets to be about 1/4 inch thick, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add bacon fat (or butter) to the pan and fry cutlets until golden brown.  Remove meat and add carrot, onion and parsley to the fat in the pan and saute until onion is translucent (mushrooms are a nice addition here as well).  Return cutlets to pan add butter, once melted add flour, mix well to incorporate.  Add water or beef stock to pan mix well to incorporate.  Cover and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 min. 

*The picture above the jagerschnitzel is served next to a bed of pan fried spaetzle.