Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Winging it

Being of half-Czech descent (my father immigrated at the age of 11), I have been treated to an interesting set of cultural divides, dissimilarities, and full-on clashes. Some of these- many of these, really- have been food related, ranging from the mildly amusing (my father has been known to call a Whopper a WHOOPER) to the downright disgusting (such as a bizarre, boiled potato and raw flour dish finished with poppyseeds).

However, at least two good things have come out of this Anglo merging. The first is fruit dumplings, a delicious conglomeration of dough, fresh fruit, cottage cheese, powdered sugar, and melted butter. I have yet to attempt to make these, though I think about it. Often.

And the second is schnitzel.

Already, I can hear those of your with Eastern European backgrounds licking your lips. Schnitzel is as simple as you can get, and definitely a peasant dish- the Czech or German version of southern fried chicken. But served piping hot with lemon wedges and a salad, you'll find yourself wondering why you ever wanted anything but simple.

 This is not an occasion that calls for a recipe. I have been experimenting with transcribing recipes down for you type-A people, but honestly it really isn't in my blood. For more particular recipes I will write down a full account, but this is not one of those. I never measure or follow recipes myself, with the exception of one kitchen staple that consistently, embarrassingly eludes me if I don't: rice.

So here are your basics: Pound some chicken breasts pretty thin, about a quarter to a half inch thick. You need to set up a breading station. The above picture illustrates the ideal way, to move chronologically into the pan: Egg, flour, skillet. Before you begin breading, heat a half inch of oil over medium to medium high heat in a large skillet, cast iron if you've got it. I used canola oil, but you can certainly use peanut or another blend, though olive oil would be a bit overpowering of the simple flavor of the schnitzel.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, and salt and pepper the flour as well. Stir in a little paprika, too, for good measure. Start with two beaten eggs, mixed with a splash of milk, maybe a tablespoon? Again, no measuring necessary! Trust me, you won't mess this up.

So here we go: Dip the chicken in the egg, thoroughly coating, then each side into the flour, then into the hot oil! The oil should DEFINITELY immediately sizzle when you drop the chicken in. Cook each piece until golden brown and done through, about three minutes on each side.


Then you're done! Just drain them on paper towels, and place on a baking sheet to keep warm in a low oven (200F) if you're not serving immediately. Though why anyone wouldn't want to eat them immediately baffles me. This is vital: Serve with a wedge of fresh lemon for squeezin'. Who doesn't like a little squeezin' now and then?
 So there you have it. Schnitzel just like my dad grew up eating, and that your dad will probably like, too. And trust me, you're fine winging it. I have faith in you.

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