May 13: Fa-schizzel My Schnitzel: Cutlets with the Works! Breaded Meat with Mushroom and Onion Gravy, Bacon, and Cornichons

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, or thin-cut boneless pork loin chops, or thin-cut boneless veal chops or cutlets (do not buy small scallops - size matters here)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs beaten with a splash of milk or cream
2 cups plain bread crumbs
1 teaspoon freshly ground or grated nutmeg
   Vegetable oil or light-in-color olive oil, for frying, plus 2 tablespoons

CABBAGE
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 red cabbage, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

8 slices center-cut bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
   Pumpernickel bread
1 lemon, cut into wedges

If using chicken, butterfly each chicken breast and place between wax paper. For pork, place chops several inches apart between wax paper. For veal, if you have large, thin-cut pieces from the butcher, use as is. If the veal is more than 1/4 inch thick, place it between wax paper. Pound the meat until very thin using a small heavy skillet or mallet.

Season the meat with salt and pepper and dust in flour. Beat the eggs and milk or cream in a large shallow dish. Combine the bread crumbs with the nutmeg and more salt and pepper and place on a large plate. Coat the meat in egg, then in crumbs. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat with just enough oil in it to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil gets wavy looking, dd the meat in a single layer and cook until golden on each side, 3 minutes each. Transfer the meat to a plate and repeat, if necessary. Reserve the cooked schnitzel under a loose foil tent.

Meanwhile, heat a second, deep, large nonstick skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil or light olive oil. Add the onions, apples, and cabbage.

Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and the caraway seeds. Toss and sear the mixture for 5 minutes, then add the vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire and toss to coat and combine the cabbage evenly. Reduce the heat a bit and keep the cabbage going until the meat is all cooked.

When all of the schnitzels are cooked, wipe the skillet clean and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp and brown.

Drain on paper towels, reserving a tablespoon or so of the rendered fat in the pan. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Add the flour and cook for a minute longer, then whisk in the stock and thicken a bit, 2 minutes. Add the parsley, adjust the seasonings in the gravy, and remove from the heat.

Top the schnitzel with lemon, the mushroom and onion gravy, and crispy bacon bits and serve with the seared cabbage alongside. Pass rye or pumpernickel bread and sweet butter at the table.

4 SERVINGS

This recipe is the variation of Chicken, Veal, or Pork Schnitzel with Red Caraway Cabbage. It is exactly the same except for the topping on the schnitzel and the addition of pumpernickel bread. I omitted the cornichons, because they seemed weird last time I made it. We used pork. I love this kind of meal because it reminds me of when I was in Germany. I especially love jaeger schnitzel, which is when it has a mushroom gravy on top. I also added the pumpernickel bread to the ingredient list. The other thing I did differently was that I didn't realize I didn't have any caraway seeds for the cabbage, so I used fennel seeds. I don't know if they're much different. Since this meal was the same as the master recipe, I just skipped that one. I was a day behind on my recipes because I didn't cook on Mother's day.