The Wiener Schnitzel

The Wiener Schnitzel - a breaded and fried veal escalope. Recipes for this delicacy can be found in Viennese cook books dating back to the 18th century. Today it is the Austrian national dish par excellence, world famous and always delicious.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 veal cutlets about 90 g (0,2 lb) each
4 eggs
200 g (1 cup) breadcrumbs, very fine
100 g (1 cup) flour, fine
300 ml (0,5 pt) butter
100 ml (0,2 pt) vegetable or peanut oil
salt
lemon slices and fried parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Tenderize the veal to about 2 - 4 mm, and salt on both sides. On a flat plate, stir the eggs briefly with a fork. (The egg becomes too thin if you beat it too much). Lightly coat the cutlets in flour then dip into the egg, and finally, coat in breadcrumbs.

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan (allow the fat to get very hot) and fry the schnitzels until golden brown on both sides. Make sure to toss the pan regularly so that the schnitzels are surrounded by oil and the crumbing becomes "fluffy".

Remove, and drain on kitchen paper. Fry the parsley in the remaining oil and drain. Place the schnitzels on a warmed plate and serve garnished with parsley and slices of lemon.

Tips: Make sure to use high-quality, very fine breadcrumbs. Genuine Wiener schnitzels need to be fried in a frying pan, not in a deep fryer. Also, the use of butter is essential to give the schnitzels a typical "nutty" taste.

Suggested side dishes: Parsley-tossed potatoes and salad (cucumber, tomato, potato or lettuce)