Bear's Anecdote - This is a fantastic recipe, but it is a lot of work. That is why I order
Jaeger Schnitzel in restaurants instead of making it. I had a hankering once for Jaeger Schnitzel,
and sought a recipe on line. The result turned out well. It reminded me of a restaurant in
Huntsville, Alabama, named "Old Heidelberg." Rumor has it that Werner Von Braun used to visit
that restaurant when it was in its original location. I can see why. The food is excellent there.
20 ounces boneless beef, veal, or venison leg, tri-tip, or shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
Bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley (see "Cooking Tips")
2 cups red wine
1 cup Veal Stock (see "Soups & Stocks")
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
6 ounces pearl onions, boiled
2 cups wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into thick slices if large
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Accompany these "huntsman-style" Austrian cutlets with buttered noddles or mashed potatoes.
Season the meat with salt and pepper, dredge the pieces in the flour, and shake off excess.
In a large, heavy saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Add the meat and sear
until golden on both sides. Remove the meat and set aside.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, and bouquet garni and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine, stir
and scrape to deglaze the pan deposits, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
Add 3/4 cup of the stock, return the meat to the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook gently
until the meat is tender. Transfer the meat to a plate and keep warm. Strain the pan liquid through
a fine sieve set over a bowl, discard the solids, return the liquid to the pan, and set aside.
In another saute pan, heat the remaining oil and butter. Add the bacon and saute until golden.
Add the pearl onions and mushrooms and continue to saute them until they turn golden. Add them to the
pan with the sauce. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, until all the ingredients
are heated through.
To serve, divide the meat among 4 heated serving plates. Spoon the sauce, mushrooms, onions and
bacon over the meat and garnish with minced parsley.