rustic bread

TODAY AT “CHEZ BELLA” – Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

:
:
Any “Schnitzel”, – Breaded Schnitzel, Paprika Schnitzel, Jäger Schnitzel, Rahm Schnitzel, Holsteiner Schnitzel, or which-ever Schnitzel comes to mind, served with Dumplings, Rustic Bread, Pasta, Potato Salad or Roast Potatoes, is pure comfort food for most Germans and Austrians. While it is super easy to prepare, it is also (like most simple food) super easy to screw-up.
But, with just a tiny amount of practice and a huge amount of love, this versatile dish is easy, quick and suitable for any time of day, for a late breakfast or late snack (breaded, served cold with a bit of lemon and mustard), or for lunch or dinner with any of the aforementioned sides. 🙂
As for me, being a Swabian AND an German (as well as American ), 🙂 I can eat schnitzel as often and with as much gusto as any full blooded American can eat a burger with fries, which is basically once a day. 🙂
:
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
:
:
Why “Chez Bella” ??? Because……….click here.
:
Click here for more Chicken on ChefsOpinion
:
Click here for more Breaded Dishes on ChefsOpinion
:
:
:

: Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

: Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

: Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

: Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlet (Paniertes Hühner Schnitzel)

: plate the cutlets, drizzle with the browned butter and a few spritz of lemon juice

: continue to cook until done and cutlets are golden…..

: turn cutlets, discard the oil, add 4 oz whole butter

: saute in 3 tblsp vegetable oil until golden

: ………………

: ………..

: use standard breading

: ……….

: ……..

: butterfly/ flatten 2 ea chicken breasts

: whisk well

: whisk 3 ea whole eggs with sriracha, granulated garlic and kosher salt to taste

:
:
:
:

TODAY AT “CHEZ BELLA” – Pork Knuckle (Schweins Haxe)

:
:
For this most-easy to prepare, super delicious meal,
just simmer one large knuckle in salt and pepper-seasoned water (about 2 to 3 hours) until tender, but NOT falling apart. DONE ! 🙂
Serve with mustard and / horseradish, rustic bread, sauerkraut, sauteed potatoes, dumplings, or whatever tickles your fancy. 🙂
:
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
:
:

Why “Chez Bella” ??? Because……….click here.
:
Click here for more Pork on ChefsOpinion
:
:
:

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: Pork Knuckle (Schweinehaxe)

: water, salt, cayenne pepper, large pork nuckle

: 2.5 hours later – done

:
:
:
:

Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

:

:
:
At a time when “Regional” and “Ethnic” cuisine has spread all over the World and most of them have reached the far corners of our Planet, a large part of restaurant-goers consider themselves experts of some, or even many, different ethnic/regional cuisines.
Sadly (naturally), most experiences of these wannabe-experts come from a few visits of neighborhood “ethnic” restaurants and a subscription to the food channel, or, at best, a few encounters of local cuisine one has mustered on a once in a lifetime vacation to an exotic, foreign country.
Therefore, nowadays, when everyone pretends to be “food-hip“, “in” and “worldly“, everybody and Joe want to open a restaurant that serves food from around the World, with the proprietor and workers usually never having encountered a dish that is even close to its supposed origin.
.
However, because of this worldwide spreading of cuisines, most folks have had the pleasure to taste Scandinavian herring salad in one form or another, either in a restaurant or at home, sourced in a small plastic container at the neighborhood supermarket. These come in many different flavors and colors – with fresh dill, fresh chives, potatoes, red beets, cucumbers, pasta, capers, pickles of any type, apples, oranges, eggs, with matjes herring or salt herring, even with added sausage, etc, etc.
Many of them are surprisingly delicious, though, after all, these ingredients are hard to mess up. However, in my humble opinion, of the commercial type herring salads, most have one fundamental fault – they are diced way too small and evenly (which, admittingly, is the proper restaurant-way).
When one forkful contains five or more ingredients of very finely diced ingredients, the mix becomes one coherent mess in your mouth, which I find rather boring. I much rather have the ingredients diced larger, so that with each bite I have two or maybe three different textures and tastes, which results in the pleasure of each bite surprising me with a new combination of yumminess. 🙂
This salad can be served as an appetizer, first course, snack or main course, accompanied by steamed potatoes, sauteed potatoes, rustic bread, or Gouda crackers (as in these pictures).
Pls note that I did not include measurements – let the ratio be guided by your preferences – more or fewer veggies, herring, yogurt, mayo, and so forth – and eliminate any of the ingredients which you don´t like. 🙂
:
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
:
:
Click here for more Salad on ChefsOpinion
:
:
:

Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

:
:
:

Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

:
:
:

: salted herring, apples, cooked red beets, cooked potatoes, onins, chivess

: dice all solid ingredients

: season with cayenne pepper

: add mayo and plain greek yogurt

: mix well, check/adjust seasoning ; flavor will be best if marinating overnight

: Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

: Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

: Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

: Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

: Herring Salad – (Heringsalat) – (Sillsallad) – (Shuba – Селедка под шубой)

:
:
:
:

Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

A great sandwich can be a wonderful dish. Put a few good ingredients together, add some love and voilà, a quick and most satisfying meal can be on the table in minutes, without breaking the bank.
And yet, so many folks at home and in restaurants manage to screw up this simple task.
Substandard ingredients, lack of imagination and the absence of love for what you are doing will all prevent a good sandwich, but rather transform bread and stuff into bahhh……….
Not so this here baby !
While the choice of bread is purely a personal preference, I make most of my sandwiches with toasted sourdough bread or other rustic bread. I just love the texture and taste, but of course, you should use whatever bread rings your bells. The chicken can be grilled or fried, the cheese can be the one you love the most, and the veggies – well, you get the point 🙂
Just make sure you prepare it all with love and gusto, don’t skimp on the good stuff and prepare it with the respect a great sandwich (as well as any other good food) deserves 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Chicken on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Sandwiches on ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
The chicken, while it has the taste and texture of fried chicken, is actually sauteed.
Classic French Cuisine defines sauteed : “Cooked in fat, not covered by fat”
Classic French Cuisine defines fried : “Cooked in fat, covered by fat”
In most restaurant settings, one would just fry the chicken in the fryer.
>
>
>
>

>

>

>

Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: slice 10 ea red radishes and 2 medium size cucumbers into thin slices

: season liberally with kosher salt, mix well

: let rest for 20 minutes, squeeze out and discard all the salty liquid

: add olive oil, vinegar and cayenne pepper to taste (this is obviously way too much salad for the sandwich, so reserve the rest for another meal, it will keep in the fridge for 2 days)

: butterfly 1 ea chicken breast for one sandwich

: mix 3 tblsp a/p flour with granulated garlic, cayenne pepper and kosher salt to taste; mix 2 tblsp greek yogurt with 4 tblsp milk (or use buttermilk instead of the mixture)

: dipp ea breast first in the flour mix, then in the milk/yogurt mix (or buttermilk), fry or saute in fat of your choice until cooked through but not dry

: toast 2 ea thick slices of sour dough bread

: good quality tomato, toasted bread, boursin, ready to assemble………

: spread a generous layer of boursin on one each side of the bread slices

: top one slice of bread with sliced tomato, season tomato with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper

: top with a layer of radish/cucumber salad

: top with one ea chicken breast

: top with the second slice of bread

: Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

: Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

: Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

: Fried Chicken&Boursin Sandwich

>
>
>
>

The Italianator

>
>
Sometimes, a simple sandwich can satisfy all my culinary needs, as long as it is interesting, tasty and – yes – as long as it looks great and appetizing!
When a slice of dry turkey and sandwich spread between two slices of wonder bread won’t do, (which, for me, is NEVER!), a sexy beauty like “The Italianator” will surely ring the bells of culinary bliss and lets me forget steaks and lobsters, at least for the moment.
– And on top of it, getting to name these creations is much fun in itself. 🙂
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

The Italianator

>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>

: Rustic Italian Sourdough Bread

: slice bread into thick (dare I say monstrous) slices

: grill bread until golden, then brush with garlic oil

: season broccoli florettes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and garlic oil

: top bread with broccoli

: top broccoli with prosciutto cotto

: top ham with thick slices of gorgonzola, sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper

: bake sandwich until cheese is melted

: season cucumber and radish julienne with italian vinaigrette, sprinkle generously on top of sandwich

: The Italianator

: The Italianator

>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Pig’s Tail Souse

:
:
How many folks have actually tried pig’s tails? Not many in this part of the world I assume. In my opinion, pigs tails are one of the best parts of the pig, but sadly underutilized in the “civilized world”, were we tend to discard secondary cuts or feed them to the animals (lucky dogs 🙂 ).
Thankfully, lately some of these special cuts have found new fans and pigs tails are now widely available again at your favorite butcher and even in supermarkets.
Buy them fresh, smoked or salted (dry or in brine) for a variety of wonderful dishes. For the following dish I used pigs tails in brine.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
:
:

Pig’s Tail Souse

:
:
Preparation :
:
:

remove tails from brine, rinse under running water for 15 minutes, cover with cold water, season with cider vinegar, garlic paste and hot sauce, simmer until tender but not falling apart, about two hours

“

cooked, tender pigs tails

“

for the dresing, slice onions, cucumbers and radishes into fine julienne, add kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, cider vinegarand a few drops of olive oil

for the dressing, slice onions, cucumbers and radishes into fine julienne, add finely sliced chives, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, cider vinegar and a few drops of olive oil

“

pour over tails, let stand at room temperature for about one hour, serve with rustic bread

“

Pig’s Tail Souse

“

Pig’s Tail Souse

“

Pig’s Tail Souse

“

this weeks herb bush : Chives

“
“

Links to more pig’s tails on ChefsOpinion:

PIG’S TAIL AND POTATO CURRY, NAAN AND CUCUMBER RAITA

CONGEE WITH SMOKED PIG’S TAILS & VEGETABLES

SMOKED PIG’S TAIL, BOW TIES & VEGETABLE STEW

“
“
“
“
“
“

EASY DOES IT # 15 – Gravlax

>
>
There are a few compelling reasons to make your own gravelax instead of buying it at a store or online:

– Price – Fresh salmon $ 15.00 per pound versus store bought gravlax at $ 40.00
>
– Ease of preparation – actual preptime about 10 minutes, curing between 3 and 5 day’s
>
– Total control of texture and taste of finished product
>
– The joy of adding another stunner to your cooking repertoire
>
My standard dry-marinade recipe is as follows :
3/5th of kosher salt, 2/5th of sugar, fresh chopped dill including stems, white pepper, lemon peel, crushed mustard seeds and dark rum.

In the variation below, I have changed the dry-marinade recipe a bit as follows:
3/5th of kosher salt, 2/5th of sugar, freeze dried dill leaves, raw garlic paste, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, vodka.
>
Mix the marinade ingredients, place half of it in a chemical reaction-free container. Top with salmon filet. Add remaining dry marinade to top of salmon. Cover airtight, place in refrigerator. Flip salmon every twelve hours. After twenty four hours, dry-marinade will have transformed into a thick brine. The salmon will be cured after two to three day’s, depending on the thickness and salt to sugar ratio in your marinade. I usually keep my salmon in the brine another one to two days, again depending on the marinade and thickness of the filet. The extra time will give me a slightly dryer and more opaque product which I prefer. This one took four day’s to be exactly the way I like it.
To serve, remove salmon and wash under running water to clean off excess brine. Slice into thin slices, accompany with dill/mustard sauce and rustic bread of your choice.
(To think, first time I prepared Gravlax was in the summer of 1973 at the Hotel Kattegat, Torekov, Sweden. Good times 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
Note:
Start out the first time by following my standard recipe, the next few times experiment with the marinade and curing time until you find your own sweet spot.
Variations can be, but are not limited to, different salt/sugar ratios, different herbs, different seasonings, different liquors, different curing length’s.
Enjoy your gravlax journey !
>
>