I like many types of salad dressings, especially ones which are light, not overwhelming the flavors of the greens. A common ratio of oil to vinegar in vinaigrettes is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. This has always been too “oily” and heavy for me.
My mother had a wonderful, light and subtle combination of oil and vinegar. Every attempt was made to get her secret (not that she did not want to reveal it), but it was always a pinch of this and approximately that. The best ingredient was “Oh, maybe I added some sugar, I don’t remember.”
(Now that I'm all grown up, I think I'm bold enough to say that I prefer my combination a little more than hers.)
Well, she did put sugar into her dressing. I like the dark brown, so that is my twist and preference. As I am writing this, the next time I make it I will experiment with molasses. I’m obsessed with molasses – I just like the flavor. Try a slight icing application on navel oranges, grapefruit or fresh, warm peaches. Oh, my!
I work a lot with the apple cider vinegars, because I’m always after a bit of sweetness. Real red or white wine is my preference vs. the wine vinegars. I think the flavor quality of adding a wine directly is always apparent.
Currently I'm experimenting with Wasabi in many sides and dips. I find that a little “bite” is refreshing. Talk about refreshing...while making this vinaigrette, Malaguena came to mind. This is an interesting and body-moving, exciting interpretation.
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon or Wasabi mustard
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar (dark brown optional)
• 2 tblsp red wine (cabernet - oh, hell, let it slip…add a little more)
• Salad greens of choice
Preparation
• Combine all ingredients and shake until well mixed and dissolved.
• Serve over salad of choice
Contrary to popular belief, Wiener Schnitzel (Viennesian cutlet) is not a German Dish, but an Austrian one and, it is believed, to have its origins in Italy. Veal has been an important Italian and French cuisine since ancient times. It is often in the form of cutlets – a thin, tender cut of meat, usually from lamb, pork or veal, taken from the leg or rib section of calves. Cutlets (at home, we called them Koteletten) are best when cooked rapidly, such as sautéed, grilled or fried, like the Italian cotoletta or the famous Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel. Veal is lower in fat than many meats.
If you behave yourself and not eat a half dozen of these, you may come away from the table still feeling human. This is a dish that is absolutely sinful, tender and just unspeakably delicious, filled with natural, mouth watering flavors.
The Austrian Wiener Schnitzel is made from tender veal, and that’s what was served at my mother’s table for years. Good veal has a delicate and sweet flavor. But because it became expensive in the 60’s, she started making this meal with pork. And while she cooked, there was always music playing.
Oh, what a delight!
I enjoyed both meats, but I always made them with pork, for my own family and still do today. While living at home, this dish was reserved primarily for Christmas. Every so often, she would also make them for special occasions – veal at Christmas time, pork otherwise. My brothers and I would argue about who could have how many and why.
The arguments were: My oldest brother should get more because he was the oldest, I should get more because I was the youngest. My other brother claimed he was the smartest. We let him believe that. My father kept control…he had the most. But, what he never knew, my mother always left some in the kitchen – hidden, for our school lunches in the brown paper bag. It was our secret and pretend upper hand over father. A secret kept for life. He passed away at 74.
And, if we were good, behaved, did as we were told and brought the brown paper bags back clean and neatly folded, she would slip us cold ones for a snack.
Oh, what a delight!
Today, my children tell me, “Hey Dad, we’re all grown up now; we can have as many as we want and at any time, not just Christmas!”
Last night, my daughter’s new baby of 6 months, ate Wiener Schnitzel with sweet potatoes and wanted nothing to do with her apples from a jar. Life is good!
Now, eat a reasonable portion, and let's get on our treadmills or walk briskly outside for 1 hour (3 miles).
• 10-12 thin, boneless pork (max ¼ inch thick) or veal cutlets
• 6 medium red, boiling potatoes
• 1 medium chopped, yellow onion – optional
• 1 cup flour
• 2 fresh, large eggs
• ¼ cup cream - cold
• 2 cups plain bread crumbs – preferably fresh, homemade
• Sea salt
• Pepper – black, fresh ground
• 2 lemons - quartered
Preparation
Prepare the Potatoes:
• Quarter the potatoes and boil until done, but still firm
• Drain water and put back into the pot, add a ½ inch thick patty of butter and cover
• Alternate: If roasting, place quartered and buttered potatoes and chopped onions onto a baking sheet and into the oven on high broil for 10-15 minutes, gently turning several times until golden browned with a crisp outer layer
Tenderize the Chops:
• Meanwhile, trim all fat from the thin pork cutlets
• Tenderize each cutlet with a meat tenderizing hammer or tool, use the “tooth” side – on a board, pound one side and then the second, spreading out and enlarging the cutlet until it is thinned to a maximum of ¼ inch thick (I make them a pinch thinner)
• Pound both sides, turning them over and over 3-4 times
• If using veal, tenderize – using the same technique
• Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper
• Set aside on a plate, ready for immediate frying
Prepare Creamed Spinach:
• Prepare and time a packet of frozen creamed spinach to be ready for serving at the same time with the finished Wiener Schnitzel
Prepare the Breading:
• In a bowl (soup bowl size), place flour
• In a 2nd bowl, thoroughly whisk and blend eggs with cream
• In a 3rd bowl, place breadcrumbs
Bread the Cutlets:
• Dredge a cutlet in the flour, cover completely and shake off excess
• Dip cutlet into the egg-cream bowl and cover completely
• Place cutlet into the breadcrumbs and cover both sides, completely – do not press bread crumbs into the meat, this will result in soggy breadcrumbs
• Slightly shake off loose breadcrumbs
• Set aside on a plate
• Finish all cutlets the same way, production style and finish quickly
Finish the Cutlets:
• Have a large 16 inch pan preheated with hot vegetable oil – do not burn
• Oil should come approximately ½ way up the cutlet
• Oil should sizzle when a cutlet is immersed
• Fry approximately 3 cutlets at a time, 1-2 minutes per side – thin cutlets will finish fast and should be a nice golden brown. I pull mine when they are slightly pinkish on the inside, since they will continue to cook to completion while resting before serving
• Place them on a large plate lined with paper towels to absorb the oil for 1 minute
• Do not cover, this will make them soggy – cutlets should be crispy
Serve:
• Have guests serve themselves all sides (potatoes and spinach)
• I serve 3-4 cutlets at a time (after draining for 1 minute), depending how many are pulled from the skillet. This allows me to serve them hot…!
• Have each guest squeeze a slight amount of lemon juice on each Wiener Schnitzel
• Have each guest salt and pepper to taste
I also enjoy this soup with different sausages, depending upon the mood I’m in – try sweet, mild or hot Italian, high quality German brats, Knackwurst (oh, my, is that good…!) or, in a desperate pinch, juicy jumbo Vienna hot dogs (not bad).
If I’m in a “European” mood and there is some hot Bach playing, I’ll go for the “Knacks” every time. God forbid some gypsy music is on the radio – I’ll kick up the volume, throw in a variety of meats (whatever the hell I can find that strikes me) and let the hips move and the Cabernet flow…
OK...The truth be told, I'm in a Sarah McLachlan mood. Live with it...!
I love the delicate, fragile and velvet voice, the emotions and soul you can see and feel in her expressions...Damn, what a raw exposure and beautifully revealed, without fear...! Kielbasa will never be the same.
Dear Sarah, I apologize – this belongs with something more romantic…Filet Mignon for Two…
This is the type of song that shuts me down and makes me take stock of my life - what I have accomplished, what it all means, and what there is that has meaning in the universe. Thank you Sarah.
Oh, Palease…! Stop complaining about how delicious this is…you will feel magnificent and nourished, after your 1 hour walk. Uhlala…!
• ¼ cup pearled barley
• 6 cups of water
• 3 chicken bouillon – Knorr
• 4 small red boiling potatoes
• 1 large celery stick sliced
• 1 large carrot peeled and sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion – chopped
• 1 tblsp split peas
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 smoked Kielbasa sausage
Preparation
Cook the Barley
• In a 3 qt. pot, bring 6 cups of water to boil, add bouillon
• Add barley and split peas
• Partially cover pot and medium simmer for 45 minutes – until barley is tender
Prepare the Vegetables
• After 45 minutes of broth simmer…
• Add quartered potatoes, sliced celery, carrots, chopped onions and pepper
• Add kielbasa – slices should be ½ inch wide
Boil & Serve the Soup
• Bring to boil, cover pot, reduce heat to medium simmer – 15 minutes
• Potatoes should be firm and done, vegetables should be crisp and flavorful
• Serve a cup (well, maybe a little more). Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Adding vegetables late will preserve their flavors and not leach into the broth.
Years ago - it was wintertime - I was travelling to New England. I always arrived at airports early. At 6:30 AM and restless, I purchased my usual cup of coffee and a Discover magazine - an intriguing article of how the solar system was formed was on the cover. I couldn't resist.
I love dried fruits, but rarely seem to purchase them. This time I did, intended for a snack at the hotel that evening. Dried apricots...absolutely fabulous! A small bag went into my overcoat.
That evening the regional sales manager and I dined at a gourmet restaurant. Without shame, after we were served our salads (I ordered the spinach), I reached into my overcoat which I did not check in, and added some dried apricots with a whim, making sure no one was aware.
Oh, my…Oh my…! I had discovered something new! Only later did I learn that the rest of the universe had been eating this way for centuries.
More frequently now, but not often enough, I will purchase dried fruits, with the intention of adding them to my salad. They add a wonderful bite and flavor - especially the apricot or dates.
• 1 tblsp butter
• ½ - ¾ cup nuts of choice (1)
• 1 cup dried fruit of choice (2)
• ¾ lb spinach – shredded to bite-size (3)
• ¼ lb romaine – shredded to bite size (3)
• 3 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 medium size thinly sliced onion
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup white wine – chardonnay
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Feta cheese (4)
Preparation
1. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and constantly stir nuts in butter until slightly toasted. May also be roasted in the oven without butter. I prefer butter toasted instead of finishing in the oven or plain nuts.
2. Combine the salad with the toasted nuts and dried fruit or fruit mixture.
3. In a small bowl, thoroughly blend the sesame seeds, sugar, onion, pepper, wine, vinegar, and olive oil.
4. Toss with spinach just before serving.
5. Sprinkle each individual serving with Feta cheese, if desired.
Notes
(1) Select your favorite nuts, blanched or not, roasted or not – slivered, sliced or chopped. I make this salad with walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans, or my favorite, salted and halved cashews.
(2) Go Crazy…! Select your favorite dried fruit or mixture of fruits, chopped to raisin size bits – apples, apricots, bananas, boysenberries, cranberries, dates, lemons, figs, pineapple, plums or pomegranates. My favorites are apricots, dates and pomegranates. I like mixing dates and apricots.
(3) Use spinach only, if desired and increase to 1 pound. I like to tone down the spinach bitter and also get the crunch of the romaine.
(4) Leave out the cheese if desired. I like a sprinkle of Feta.
Laß es Dir schmecken...!
Oh, Palease...! is copyright and a trademark of Christoph G. Olesch. All text and recipes Copyright (C) 2010. Christoph G. Olesch. All rights reserved. Eat What You Want - A Diet For Real People and Eat What The Hell You Want - A Diet For Real People is Copyright (C) 2010. Christoph G. Olesch. All rights reserved.
This was one of my favorite meals for dinner. My mother could never serve enough of this. One of my daughters, grown and married, demanded it as a side dish for Christmas dinner. That raised some eyebrows and immortalized Oma.
While living at home, my two brothers and I immediately wanted to dig in, but the protocol was that my father always came first. So, as we watched our mother serve him, our legs shook like woodpecker beaks on fresh oak, hammering to greet the 4 AM morning sun, resounding for miles.
We hoped there would be enough for us and, of course, there always was.
Not a word was spoken, as the stainless steel forks were lifted and our stomachs were filled. Mutti (German for mother), as we called her, was content and smiled - all her men were pleased and satisfied.
• 1 lb of sauerkraut – in a glass jar
• ¾ lb of fresh ground beef
• ¾ lb of fresh ground pork
• ½ lb of fresh ground veal
• 1 cup white rice
• 16 oz sour cream
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp ground fresh black pepper
Preparation
Prepare the Rice:
• Place 2 cups of water in a large pan and bring to boil
• Add 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water and bring to re-boil
• Spread rice evenly across the bottom of the skillet and bring to re-boil
• Cover skillet and turn heat to low, gentle simmer – 20 minutes
• When water has evaporated, uncover skillet, mix rice thoroughly and recover
• Let stand for 10 minutes, covered
Prepare the Sauerkraut:
• Drain sauerkraut into a container, squeeze juices slightly into container
Prepare the Meat:
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high
• Hand mix and blend all meats – do not over work, it should stay loose
• Break and crumble all meat into small pieces into the skillet to brown
• Add salt and pepper while browning
• Remove meat and set aside when finished, drain most (90% of meat juices), but not all, and set aside
Prepare the Layers:
• In a large 3” deep pan, or 5 qt. Dutch oven, place a layer of rice – 1/3
• Layer 1/3 of sauerkraut on top of rice
• Layer 1/3 of meat mixture on top of sauerkraut
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sauerkraut juice on top of meat
• Layer ¼ of sour cream on top of meat
• Repeat process 2 more times
• Add 1/4 cup of water to the mixture
Finish the Layers:
• Cover pan or Dutch oven and place in preheated oven - 350º
• Bake for 30 minutes and remove from oven
Serve the Course:
• Serve on plates
• Cover each serving with ¼ cup of sour cream
• Mix each serving thoroughly
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste
Having made Beef Stroganoff for dinner, I had plenty of the sauce left over for a second time around. The day after, I made a corned beef, boiled potato and corn dinner, with plenty of beef for sandwiches.
Not wanting to waste the more fatty end parts of the corned beef, I made a stock, added beef stroganoff sauce and, “oh, boy”, did I like what I tasted. I think you will too. So, the recipe below is for making a stroganoff soup, less the corned beef stock.
• 1/3 lb. of egg noodles
• 1 lb. of fillet mignon or stir fry strips
• ¼ cup olive oil for the broth
• 1 cup of chopped yellow onions
• 8 oz. ounces sliced mushrooms – thick ¼”
• 3 medium cloves thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tsp sea salt – for the broth
• ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp dry (1 tsp chopped) tarragon
• 2/3 cup of red wine – cabernet sauvignon
• 1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup boiling water for chicken broth
• 1 large Knorr chicken bouillon
• 1 10-1/2 oz. can consommé or beef stock
• 1/8 cup butter for roux
• 2tablespoons flour for roux
• 8 oz. of sour cream
Preparation
Cook the Pasta:
o While making the sauce, cook pasta according to the package directions to al dente in four quarts of water in a stock pot and drain well
o Place back into the same pot it was cooked in and put on a cool burner that has been turned off, toss in 1 tblsp butter, cover and keep pasta warm
Make the Sauce:
o Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
o Add salt, pepper, dry mustard, tarragon and onions – sauté onions until translucent and light golden yellow
o Add and sauté garlic until pale yellow
o Add mushrooms, wine and Worcestershire and cook 3 more minutes to incorporate flavor
o Add chicken broth, consommé or beef stock and bring to a boil – boil 2 minutes
o Reduce heat to low simmer
Make the Roux:
o Heat a small skillet or sauce pan over medium-low heat and melt the butter
o Add flour, (1 tblsp at a time) to the butter and stir with a spoon until the roux is smooth
o Continue cooking 2 minutes and then slowly add the roux to the broth while stirring until the roux is totally blended
Sear the Meat:
o Heat a skillet with 2 tblsp of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot
o Place strips of meat into the pan and sear the meat on both sides to medium-rare, put on the side
o Deglaze pan with ¼ cup of red wine, scraping bits and add to meat
Prepare & Serve:
• Remove stroganoff soup from the heat and slowly add sour cream, stirring well
• Put back on medium heat and cook 2 minutes – do not boil, avoid curdling sour cream
• Add the pasta, add seared meat strips and simmer until hot
• Serve hot, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pronounced with a short e, as in bed, crêpe is French for pancake. They originated in Brittany, a northwest region of France. They rarely had fillings and were primarily used for bread – originally made from buckwheat flour. Today they are still made from buckwheat, if served as a main dish and wheat flour if made for desserts.
Creperies specializing in dessert crepes are found throughout France and traditionally offered on Candlemas and Shrove Tuesday to celebrate renewal, family life, and hope for good fortune and happiness.
Crêpes are popular not only throughout France, but Europe in general and where they are known by other names – Italian Cespelle, Jewish Blintzes, Greek Kreps, Hungarian Palacsintas (my mother used to call them Palatchinken) and Scandinavian Plattars.
Although usually made in 8" pans, I like making them slightly on the large size - a 10" crepe, with a batter portion of about 1/3 cup. I cook them at a higher heat, so that the batter sizzles, almost "frying" them. As guests sit at the table, I served them hot from the pan, one at a time. There is usually no waiting, but if someone does, it makes them all the more tantalizing.
My favorite fillings are usually fruit preserves - blueberry, raspberry, strawberry. But be creative; fill them with your heart's desire. Eat slowly, savor the flavor. After one hour of proper digestion, exercise by walking about 3 miles within an hour. Feel the energy and rejuvenation. Your heart will be pleased.
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• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter, plus extra to grease the skillet
Prepare the Batter Mix:
• In a bowl, with a whisk or fork, beat the eggs
• Add milk, cream, salt - blend
Mix the Batter & Flour:
• Place flour in a medium bowl, gradually add the batter mix, while whisking to eliminate the lumps
• Add the melted butter and incorporate well.
• Put batter in a blender and blend until silky smooth – 15 to 20 seconds
Finish the Batter:
• Seal the bowl with a cellophane wrap. Let the batter rest for I hour in the refrigerator.
Make the Crepes:
• Heat a large, 16” non-stick skillet (will make a crepe approximately 10 Inches) over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of pure canola oil, per crepe (butter will brown and burn too quickly, but grease lightly with butter if you prefer, for each crepe)
• Each crepe should be paper thin – less than 1/16”…!
• Add approximately 1/3 cup of batter or less to the center of the pan and swirl the batter around so that it spreads and coats the complete bottom of the skillet. If there are any small holes, you can fill them in with a little extra batter, but not necessary.
• Fry for a minutes on medium-high heat (the crepe will sizzle in the oil)
• Lift the skillet from the burner and shake the crepe loose from the bottom of the pan.
• Continue to fry until the pancake no longer appears wet on top and becomes slightly crisp and light golden brown on the bottom.
• Carefully flip it over and brown it on the other side.
• Transfer the crepe to a plate.
• Immediately spread a layer of filling of choice on the crepe. Prick the crepe at the outside diameter with a tong of the fork and roll closed. Dust the with a slight amount of confectioner’s sugar. Serve hot!
Sweet Fillings:
• Jam, Apple, fruit preserves, Nutella (chocolate and hazelnut spread)
• Fresh berries marinated with a little sugar and Grand Marnier Chestnut cream (Crème de Marrons) – from gourmet stores
• A sauce made of orange juice, sugar, butter, grated orange rind and Grand Marnier or Cognac (like crepes Suzette)
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