Wiener Schnitzel

based on the recipe in Cooking the Austrian Way
serves 6 to 8

This recipe caused us to slum the trenches of Walmart and proceed to get in an argument over a meat tenderizer. Thankfully we were later able to take out our aggressions on the veal.

ingredients

• 2 lb Leg of Veal, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 3 Eggs, well beaten with 3 tsp oil
• 2 cups Fine Bread Crumbs
• 3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Lemons, cut into 4 wedges
• Fresh Parsley, for garnish
• Baby Tomatoes, for garnish

instructions

1. Pound veal slices with a meat hammer until very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Place flour into a shallow dish and dip veal slices into flour. Shake off excess flour. Dip veal into egg mixture, then roll in bread crumbs, coating well, and set aside.
3. Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat in a large skillet, then add as many veal slices as will fit, making sure not to overcrowd the meat.
4. Cook for 4 o 5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove veal from pan and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
   
5. Repeat, adding more oil as necessary until all veal slices are browned.
   
6. Serve on a preheated platter garnished with lemon wedges, parsley and baby tomatoes. After serving, squeeze lemon over the schnitzel.
   

Kartoffelpuffer

based on the recipe from RecipeZaar
serves 2 to 5 depending on size

ingredients

• 6 medium Potatoes, scrubbed and grated
• 1 medium Onion, grated
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Cooking Oil or Bacon Fat (definitely use the bacon fat)

instructions

1. Combine the potatoes, onions, garlic, eggs, flour and salt.
   
2. In an electric frying pan (350) or a frying pan over medium heat (we used a cast iron pan), add 2 tbsp oil or fat per batch.
   
3. Using a 1/3 cup, scoop the mixture and spread into a flat circle on the pan. Flatten out a but to about a 5-inch diameter cake.
   
4. Fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy around the edges.
   
5. Transfer cakes to a warm plate or keep warm in the oven. Best served immediately.
   

Gekochter Erdapfelsalat

based on the recipe in Cooking the Austrian Way
serves 4 to 6

I think this was by far most people's favorite, and was surprisingly easy to make.

ingredients

• 3 large Potatoes, washed and peeled
• 3 slices Bacon, chopped (we used more than this, maybe double, may also be omitted for vegetarian option)
• 1/4 cup White Onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp Flour
• 2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes, dissolved in 1 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 tbsp Sour Pickles, chopped
• 1 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard
• 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• Pinch of Sugar
• 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped

instructions

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes in a colander and allow to cool.
3. Wash and dry pan. Sauté bacon and onion until onion is golden brown.
4. Add flour and stir until lightly browned.
5. Add bouillon, a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wire whisk to make a thick sauce.
   
6. Add remaining ingredients, except parsley and potatoes, and turn heat to low.
   
7. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch slices and add to sauce.
   
8. Cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
   
9. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
   

Rotkraut mit Äpflen

based on the recipe in Cooking the Austrian Way
serves 6

Red cabbage is atypical Austrian side dish. During Christmas, people add apples to sweeten this already tasty dish. We used just half a head of a giant cabbage, and it was still enough to feed well over a dozen people, so choose your head wisely.

ingredients

• 1 head Red Cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 small Onion, peeled and cut into quarters (may be sauteed in oil beforehand)
• 6 Whole Cloves
• 1 large Green Apple cut into quarters (we used 2)
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Flour

instructions

1. Combine cabbage, onion, cloves, apple, vinegar, 3/4 tbsp sugar and oil in a large pot.
2. Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pot.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer until tender, or about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Add boiling water if needed during cooking to maintain enough water at the bottom of the pan (we didn't need to do this.)
4. Sprinkle flour and the rest of the sugar over the mixture before serving.
   

Gurkensalat

based on the recipe in Cooking the Austrian Way
serves 4 to 6

ingredients

• 2 large Cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 White Onion, peeled and minced
• 1/4 tsp Whit Pepper
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp Chives, chopped
• 2 tbsp Sour Cream (use plain, nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream for a lighter salad)

instructions

1. Place cucumber into a bowl, add salt, mix, then let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Drain liquid from cucumbers, squeezing out excess, and return to bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients, toss well, and keep cool until ready to serve. Tastes best when chilled overnight.
   

Sacher Torte

based on the recipe in Cooking the Austrian Way
serves 12

ingredients
CAKE:

• 5 1/3 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
• 1 stick, plus 3 tbsp Butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 6 Eggs, separated
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 12 oz Apricot Jam, room temperature

ICING:

• 7 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Butter
• Lemon Juice, a few drops
  
• 8 - 10 tbsp Hot Water

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Line the base and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with wax paper.
3. In a double broiler, heat the chocolate for the cake until melted.
   
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add melted chocolate and beat. Then add the yolks, one at a time, beating continuously until creamy.
5. In another bowl, sift flour and baking powder together.
   
6. In a third bowl, using clean beaters, beat egg whites and powered sugar until stiff peaks form.
   
7. Add egg whites to chocolate mixture. Sift flour mixture onto egg whites, a little at a time. Fold egg whites and flour carefully into chocolate mixture.
   
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading batter evenly.
   
9. Bake for 50 minutes, testing with a toothpick until it comes out clean.
   
10. Remove cake from oven, remove springform rim and carefully peel away the paper. Allow cake to cool slightly.
    
11. Turn cake onto a cake plate and remove the base of the pan and the wax paper.
    
12. Slice the cake horizontally, and spread bottom layer with jam. Replace the top layer.
    
13. For the icing, melt the chocolate in a double broiler.
    
14. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice to the chocolate. Add the hot water one tbsp at a time to get the right consistency for spreading on a cake.
    
15. While icing is hot, spread over top of cake allowing it to drip down the sides.
    
16. Allow icing to cool completely.
    

Delicious Details

Theme: Bring in Spring!

Number of Guests

10

Starters

Truffled Eggs
A three-minute egg set on a bed of coarse salt, cap removed, drizzled with truffle oil and sprinkled with sea salt.

Bread

Herbed & Onion Focaccia
Fresh out of the oven and topped with thyme, red onions and olive oil.

Salad

White Bean & Tomato Salad
A true reflection of spring combining fresh tomatoes, cannellini beans, new potatoes, scallions, and fresh lemon juice this hearty salad is bursting with flavor.

Main Course

Snapper en Papillote
Papillote is the French word for the paper used to decorate the tips of a crown roast. "En papillote" refers to the food wrapped in a special kind of greased parchment paper. As the snapper cooks in the paper, the heat and steam released create a puff in the top of the paper and the snapper cooks with the paper in its own juices. We've combined the snapper with red peppers, leeks, capers and lemon...yum!

Sides

Scallops with Ginger-Scallion Sauce
Pan seared to golden perfection and set on a lime-ginger-scallion sauce.
Grilled Zucchini
Charred on each side and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Corn on the Cob with Herbed Butter
Sweet white corn smothered in our housemade rosemary butter.

Dessert

Strawberry Mascarpone Granita
How could we not have strawberries on the menu? We've pureed them with a mint syrup, and mascarpone cheese, frozen the concoction and will be serving it "forked."

Scallops with Ginger-Scallion Sauce

based on the recipe from Kate Brown Entertains
Makes 10 servings

ingredients

• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 6 Scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp Sugar
• 6 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 tbsp Lime Juice
• 4 tbsp Water
• 2 tbsp Ginger, grated
• ½ tsp Pepper
• 20 Scallops

instructions

1. Mix the sauce ingredients with a whisk in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and set aside
2. In a medium sauté pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil.
3. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
4. When the pan is just starting to smoke, add the scallops and sear approximately 2 – 3 minutes per side. You want a golden sear on the outside, so try not to move them while they are searing.
5. Remove the scallops from heat. Drizzle the sauce on each plate, and place scallops on top.

strawberry & mascarpone granita

based on the recipe from the foodnetwork
makes 10 servings

ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup mint, chopped
• 4 cups, strawberries, chopped
• 1 cup Mascarpone
• 6 tbsp lemon juice
• chopped strawberries for garnish

instructions

1. Place the water, sugar, and mint in a saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar Strain the mint from the syrup. Discard the mint.
2. In a food processor combine 2 cups of strawberries and lemon juice, puree. Add the cheese, and mint syrup and run the machine to combine.
3. Place the mixture in an 13 x 9 glass dish and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
4. To serve, use a fork to scrap the granite. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with chopped strawberries. Serve immediately.

Bread

herb & onion focaccia
based on the recipe from Kate Brown Entertains
makes 8 servings

ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury Pizza Dough
• 2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, julienned
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
• extra-virgin olive oil: enough for drizzling

ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Unroll the pizza dough as directed on the package onto a pizza stone. Sprinkle half of the herbs on the dough and fold the dough in half lengthwise.
3. Brush the top with olive oil and evenly distribute the remaining herbs, onion, and cheese.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bake for 15 minutes until the foccacia is golden brown and crispy.
6. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve sliced.