Hunter’s Schnitzel (4)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white bread crumbs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of butter

4 pork steaks or cutlets, pounded thin

1 egg, beaten juice of

1 lemon

1 medium onion, diced 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms

1-1/2 cups water

1 cube beef bouillon

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

In a shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Place the egg in a separate dish. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip pork steaks in egg, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Fry in the hot oil until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and keep warm. Add onion and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until lightly browned. Pour in water and dissolve the bouillon cube. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir together the cornstarch and sour cream; stir into the skillet. Cook over low heat until thickened, but do not boil. Spoon over the pork cutlets and serve immediately.

German Potato Dumplings (4-6)

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of starchy potatoes (Red potatoes are a good choice.)

2 teaspoons of salt

¼ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup of plain white flour

1 egg

DIRECTIONS

Bring the unpeeled potatoes to a boil in a large pot, add salt and simmer the potatoes for around 35 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain the potatoes and cool them. Peel the potatoes with your hands. Once all the potatoes are peeled, cut them into even-sized pieces and refrigerate until cold. The potatoes can be prepared the previous day. Mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in the salt and freshly grated nutmeg. Add half a cup of flour and mix to combine. With your hands, knead the mixture in the bowl until a smooth, soft dough forms. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough remains sticky. Combine one beaten egg with the mixture. Form the mixture into smooth, round balls using ¼ of a cup of dough for each ball. In a large saucepan of salted simmering water, almost boiling, poach the completed dumplings in batches of 4 to 5. Do not allow them to crowd. This could cause them to break apart. Cook the dumplings for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings rise to the surface. Remove and drain. Ladle some of the schnitzel sauce over the dumplings on the plates.

Poached White Asparagus (4-6)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 pound white asparagus, peeled

DIRECTIONS

Place wine and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce by three-quarters, cool, then transfer to the top of a double boiler. Add egg yolks to wine reduction. Set over simmering water over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until yolks thicken enough to fall into thin ribbons when whisk is lifted from pan. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in olive oil with 1-2 tbsp. water. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Tie asparagus together into a bundle. Stand upright in a deep saucepan. Add about 4’’ water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover with aluminum foil, and cook until asparagus is tender, 15-30 minutes. Untie asparagus, then transfer to a platter, spoon sauce over tips, and serve.

Apple Strudel (6) INGREDIENTS

1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and coarsely shredded

3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

2 ounces of brandy

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup golden raisins

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place apples in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar and golden raisins; set aside. Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold the pastry lengthwise around the mixture. Seal edges of pastry by using a bit of water on your fingers, and rubbing the pastry edges together. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush onto top of pastry. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with almonds and serve warm.

SHOPPING LIST

1 pound white asparagus

4 Granny Smith apples

2 pounds of red potatoes

1 lemon

1 medium onion

8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms white bread crumbs

4 pork steaks extra-virgin olive oil vegetable oil white wine vinegar cornstarch all-purpose flour brown sugar golden raisins nutmeg almond slivers

½ dozen eggs puff pastry milk cup sour cream butter beef bouillon salt pepper white pepper dry white wine brandy

Chef John Strand of Accents – Personal Chef Services specializes in elegant in-home dinners and weekly meal services, “making your home your favorite place to eat.” He can be reached via e-mail from his Web site at www.accentspcs.com.