Black Walnuts

We have some black walnut trees here on the farm planted by a previous owner and my husband decided to harvest some this year. The pecan trees had a bad year. He picked a lot of walnuts and put them in the driveway. It is a good way to hull them without so much work. Run the car over them and later pick them up sans hulls. That is where you can get your hands stained. Cure them in a cool dark place for a couple weeks. Then comes the hard work. The shells are quiet hard! You need a hammer to crack, and then picking out the meat you need a nut hook and more time. No wonder these nuts command a high price in the store. One source says storing the hulled walnuts for a couple months makes the nut meat shrink some and therefore easier to get out. If you are not going to use the walnuts soon they can be stored in the freezer.

My mother used them in cakes but we are more into savory than sweets. I looked through my many cookbooks but didn’t find any recipes even for sweets. Rosalind Creasy did write about them in her book, The Gardener’s Handbook of Edible Plants. She talks about the black walnut, Juglans nigra, which we grow. Most people like and eat the more familiar Persian (or English) walnut, J. regia. She mentions two more: butternut, J. cinerea and California black walnut, J. Hindsii.

She says black walnuts, like okra, gooseberries, and rhubarb are an acquired taste. Their flavor is quite strong and distinct. I like it and use it in my salads. It adds an extra flavor in a fruit cake.

I wonder why they do not appear more in Southern cooking as they would be available to the harvester for free, like other wild foods. Certainly the wood was used in Southern furniture.

If you choose to plant, the trees are nice for shade, but are not for small tailored yards. Ours grow in the pastures. Also of note, the roots exude an acid that inhibits the growth of many plants. Keep them away from vegetable gardens, flower beds, azaleas. They can be grown even as far north as Ontario and south to northern Florida and are native to the eastern US. Although the deep South is not part of their natural range, they certainly grow well here is south Mississippi.

They have omega-3 fatty acids and are heart healthy and are rich in antioxidants. They also have antifungal properties. A tincture of the hulls can be used to treat fungal skin diseases. Overall they have many more good properties than the English walnut, but they are just harder to find and more expensive to buy.

I did find a savory recipe for black walnuts and shrimp. It is basically a stir fry but instead of peanuts or cashews, black walnuts are used instead. Easy recipe but good for you!

Black Walnut Shrimp

Serves 4

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Coating: 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ cup peanut oil

2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

½ cup black walnuts

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine or white vinegar

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock

½ teaspoon cornstarch and ½ tablespoon water mixed together as a thickening agent

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Lime wedges

Place shrimp into coating items in a bowl and mix. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Heat wok or iron skillet until hot and then add peanut oil. Heat to warm, not smoking. Add shrimp, stir well and turn off heat. Allow shrimp to sit in warm oil for 2 minutes. Drain and place in stainless steel bowl.

Wipe pan clean and return 1 ½ tablespoon of drained oil back in. Add ginger and onions. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add walnut and fry for 30 seconds. Return shrimp to pan with all other ingredients and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Place the meal on a platter and serve with rice or noodles with lime wedges.

Cooking for Friends in Wilmington

I try to find a time each January to cook for my friends in Wilmington. They are always having us for drinks so I feel guilty going to their house and not doing something in return. I usually do a curry but decided to do a goulash since I did enjoy this (stew or soup) in Vienna. I chose a simple mushroom salad for starters and for dessert (my friends love dessert) a banana sticky toffee pudding. What could be more enjoyable to eat by the fire on a cold winter night and share this meal with friends?

Both recipes are from the January 2018 issue of ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Hungarian Goulash

Serves 8

6 oz. thinly sliced bacon, chopped

2 ½ lb. well-marbled boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces

Kosher salt and pepper

2 onions, chopped

¼ cup Hungarian sweet paprika (I used regular paprika since I could not find the sweet and found the goulash a little bitter so added more apple cider vinegar and some lemon juice) and this made it taste fine.

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

½ tsp. caraway seed

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, divided

1 ½ lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used a red pepper)

2 tsp. fish sauce, optional (gave it a little more kick)

Sour cream and toasted rye bread, for serving

In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate, leaving fat in pan.

Season beef with salt and pepper. In batches, add beef to pot, and cook in bacon fat over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate with bacon.

Add ¼ cup of water and onions to pot. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up browned bits, until all liquid is evaporated and onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add paprika, tomato paste, and caraway seeds; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add 7 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar; return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring the goulash to a boil, cover partially, and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours.

Add potatoes and bell pepper to pot, and simmer, partially covered, over low heat until beef is very tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

Stir in fish sauce, if using and remaining 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream and rye bread.

Shaved Mushroom and Pecorino Salad

Serves 8

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, very thinly slices (preferably on a mandolin)

2 oz. pecorino cheese, shaved

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, parsley and red pepper. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Spread half the mushrooms on a large platter. Drizzle with half of the dressing and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms, dressing, and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Banana Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 9

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup boiling water

6 oz. pitted dates, chopped (1 cup)

 Tsp. baking soda

 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 medium-size overripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)

½ cup heavy cream

Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch square metal pan with butter. In a small heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the dates; stir in the baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat ¼ cup of the butter with ¾ cup of the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. At low speed beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the date mixture and bananas, and beat at low speed until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, the remaining ¼ cup of butter, and the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, and cook until slightly thickened and deep golden, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Pour half of the warm sauce over the cake, and let stand until absorbed, about 10 minutes. Serve warm with the remaining sauce and the whipped cream.

Eggs for Breakfast

Do you remember the two fat ladies? Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright traveling around the British countryside in their Truimph 950 and Watsonian sidecar? I never did many of their recipes but I loved watching them plunge their bejeweled hands into the dish of whatever. Recently I picked their cookbook off the shelf and was perusing. I came upon Muttachar (spiced eggs). I love Indian and this picked my interest. They note that Clarissa’s step-grandfather was a Sephardic Jew from Calcutta. He would travel back to India to deal with the family’s jute interests and his mother sent him a cook called Fuzdah, who was a “black Jew” from Cochin. This is his South Indian (Kerala) egg dish. Keralan cooking usually uses coconut and curry leaves. We brought back a curry plant from Kerala when we were there several years ago. (You can order one, Murraya kienigii, from Logee’s---logees.com.) The leaves add a distinctive aroma and it will be good, but not the same, without the leaves.

 

Muttachar (Spiced Eggs) from Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies (1996)

1 tablespoon oil

1 small onion

1 hot green chili pepper, seeded and chopped

1 ripe tomato, sliced (I used canned this time of year)

2 ½ cups coconut milk and water, mixed in equal parts

¼ teaspoon each turmeric, paprika, and ground cilantro

Salt

10 fresh curry leaves

A handful of chopped fresh cilantro (fortunately have that in the garden)

Juice of ½ lemon

4 eggs, hard cooked or raw

In a heavy frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until golden. Add the chili, tomato, and fry a little longer. Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Add the turmeric, paprika, ground cilantro, and salt to taste, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Rub the curry leaves between your palms to release the flavor, and add them with the fresh cilantro to the mixture. Add the lemon juice and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

If you are using the eggs hard-cooked, add them to the sauce and heat through for about 5 minutes. If to be poached, break the eggs gently into the mixture and cook for about 3 minutes.

This dish can be served with rice or with snippets of toast or good bread to mop up the delicious juice.

 

I just got a new Turkish cookbook, Istanbul & Beyond, by Robyn Eckhardt, and in it is a very similar dish with somewhat different spices, Menemen, Eggs Poached in Chunky Tomato & Pepper Sauce. The author notes that one can find this dish, eggs poached in a vibrant sauce of tomato, peppers and onion served most everywhere in Turkey, but the best versions are found in Istanbul, a city that loves to brunch.

Menemen

Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive or unsalted butter or a combination of both

2 or 3 mild to hot green chilies such as Anaheim or Holland, seeded and sliced or one green pepper seeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 small-medium onion cut into ½ -inch-thick slices

¼  teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme, crushed

2 medium-large ripe tomatoes, peeled if you like, coarsely chopped (1 to 1 ¼ cups)

Freshly ground black pepper

2-4 teaspoons tomato paste, optional

4 large eggs

Crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the olive oil or butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chilies or bell pepper and onion, sprinkle over the salt, and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and sweat the vegetables until they are soften, about 5 minutes. Do not brown.

Add the dried oregano or thyme, if using and add the tomatoes. Grind a little black pepper and cook until the tomatoes release their juices and start to soften, about 3 minutes. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape. Add 2 teaspoons of tomato paste if needed to thicken.

Form 4 shallow craters in the tomato mixture, evenly spaced around the skillet, and break the eggs into them. Raise the heat to medium-low and cook until the whites are just opaque but the yolks are still runny.

Lightly prick each yolk once with a fork and drag some of the yellow into the red sauce. Sprinkle over red pepper flakes and serve immediately.

.

The Turkish dish is noted to be a cousin to the Israeli egg dish, shakshouka. This dish is similar to a Tunisian dish and is eaten all across North Africa. It may have originated in the Ottoman Empire.

Chakchouka (Shaksho

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/3  cups chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced bell pepper, any color

2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste

2 ½ cups chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 hot chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped, to taste

4 eggs

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell peppers, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables have softened and the onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

Combine the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and chili pepper into a bowl and mix briefly. Pour the tomato mixture into the skillet, and stir to combine.

Simmer, uncovered, until the tomato juices have cooked off, about 10 minutes. Make four indentations in the tomato mixture for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the indentations. Cover the skillet and let the eggs cook until they’re firm but not dry, about 5 minutes.

This dish is also similar to the Latin American breakfast dish ‘Huevos Rancheros.’ And around the world we go.

Serve them for breakfast or part of a brunch or perhaps for supper.

 

 

 

Jicama

In starting the New Year with a healthy start we should look into trying more vegetables.

My husband grew a lot of jícama for a first time this year. He dug it all recently after the first frost killed the vines. We ate it almost every day until it was finished and I leaned to really like and appreciate it. I was talking to a friend at church who also likes it and says she keeps some chopped in the refrigerator for a snack.

Jícama, Pachyrhizus erosus, is a native of Mexico. It can be started from seed in the spring and the long vines which need support produce a pretty blue flower and seedpod. It is another good plant for a summer screen or on a trellis. The plant and seed are toxic but when the first frost comes, dig the roots which have a tuber from egg size to cantaloupe size. They must be pealed and then sliced or julienned. They have been called a ‘savory apple’ and that does approximate the texture and taste without a hint of sweetness. It has also been called the Mexican yam bean or the Mexican turnip as the texture is somewhat like a turnip. It has also been called a Mexican water chestnut but I think the texture there is different.

One can slice them and eat them raw or use instead of carrot sticks with a dip. One can use them to make slaw, chips, or in a stir fry. A favorite way for Mexicans is to sprinkle the slices with chili powder, salt, and lime juice. We have used them most frequently chopped in salads.

They are low in calories, high in fiber which promotes good bone health by increasing the absorption of calcium. They also have vitamin C and potassium, and are a powerful antioxidant and said to help prevent colon cancer.

From Can You Dig It by John D. Folse.

Stir-Fried Pork and Jícama

Serves 6-8

1 ½ cups julienned jícama

1 ½ pounds boneless pork, trimmed and cut into bite-sized strips

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsps. cornstarch

6 tbsps. vegetable oil, divided

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Granulated garlic to taste

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp grated ginger

½ cup diced green onions

3 cups shredded Napa cabbage

In a small bowl, combine broth. Sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk together well and set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat two tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Add half of pork to skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Using tongs, remove pork from skillet and set aside. Add remaining oil to skillet then add jícama, onion and bell peppers and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add minced garlic, ginger and green onions and cook 1 additional minute. Add prepared cornstarch mixture, stirring well into vegetables. Return pork to skillet and stir to incorporate. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring  constantly. Add cabbage and cook 1-2 additional minutes or until cabbage is slightly wilted and heated through, stirring frequently. Adjust seasonings to taste using salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Serve immediately over steamed white rice.

Another favorite of mine is this next recipe. Easy to do and a very good side dish.

Jícama and Celery Sauté

Serves 8

 1 ¼ pounds jícama, peeled and julienned

1 stalk celery, peeled and sliced on the bias

¼ cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 cup sliced baby portabella mushrooms

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

½ cup chopped parsley

2 tsps. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Granulated garlic to taste

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes or until golden. Add celery, onion and bell pepper and sauté 3-5 minutes or until slightly wilted. Add jícama and mushrooms then sauté an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well until butter is melted. Adjust seasonings to taste using salt, pepper and granulated garlic, then remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Prosciutto-wrapped Pork with Apricot-sage Stuffing and Bourbon-Mustard Glaza

I did do some cooking over the Christmas holidays (not just traveling) and could not resist giving you the recipe for my wrapped pork. This recipe is different because the stuffing goes around the pork and not inside. I thought it was a beautiful dish and easy to do. I know I should be talking about food trends for the New Year and I did read that Food and Wine said the trend was “classic” whatever that means. So this year I am just going with what I think is tasty and good to eat. That is really what I do every year anyway!!

The recipe is long but worth it.

From “Fine Cooking Magazine” December/January 2018.

Prosciutto-wrapped Pork with Apricot-Sage and Bourbon-Mustard Glaze

Serves 6-8

For the Stuffing:

10 oz. sourdough bread cut into ½-inch cubes (about 8 ½ cups)

2 Tbs. bourbon

4 oz. dried apricots, finely chopped (about 2/3 cups)

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large sweet onion, cut into ½-inch dice (about 2 ¾ cups)

1 medium celery rib with leaves, cut into ½-inch dice (about ¾ cup)

¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh sage

1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. dry mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1 ½ cups lower-salt chicken broth

2 large eggs

For the Pork:

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (1 to 1 ½ lb.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12-16 thin slices of prosciutto

For the glaze:

1 Tbs. reserved apricot soaking liquid (from above or water)

3 Tbs. light brown sugar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Pinch cayenne

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the stuffing:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast until crisp, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, combine the bourbon with 2 Tbs. water. Add the apricots and soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Strain the apricots over a bowl, squeezing them to extract more liquid. Reserve any liquid (it won’t be much) to add to the glaze, and set the apricots aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary, until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread, apricots, parsley, sage, thyme, mustard, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and the cayenne. In a small bowl, whisk the broth and eggs, and pour over the bread mixture. Toss well, let sit for 5 minutes, and toss again. Cover and chill for a least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Wrap the pork:

Pat the pork tenderloin dry and season well with salt and pepper.

Lay some plastic wrap on a work surface so that it measures at least 20x20 inches; overlap a couple of pieces of plastic wrap as needed. Shingle 2 rows of prosciutto, using 6 to 8 slices for each row to make a 14x14 square. Spoon the stuffing mixture onto the prosciutto, then use your hands to lightly press it into an even layer, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on top and bottom and a 1-inch border on each side. Position the pork across the center of the stuffing. Lift the plastic to help wrap the prosciutto and stuffing around the pork, and continue to roll up like a sushi roll, encasing the pork with the stuffing and prosciutto. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto, then wrap the roll tightly in the plastic wrap twisting the ends to tightly compress the roast. Tuck the ends under the roast to keep snug. Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Longer is better as it helps the stuffing to firm up.

Roast and Glaze the Pork:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F. Set a rack in a roasting pan lined with parchment.

In a small saucepan, combine the reserved apricot soaking liquid with the brown sugar and mustard over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the cayenne, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If too thick to brush easily, thin with a little water.

Remove the plastic wrap from the pork and place the pork seam side down in the center of the rack. Roast, brushing the prosciutto with the glaze during the last 10 minutes of cooking until cooked (135°F), 55 to 65 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes, then slice the roast with a very sharp knife into thick slices.

Christmas in Vienna II

Since we love food and drink, we had a great time in Vienna. They are known for their café culture. “In Vienna the living room is down the street at the neighborhood coffeehouse. This tradition is just another example of the Viennese expertise in good living. Each of Vienna’s many long-established (and sometimes even legendary) coffeehouses has its individual character and characters….famously grumpy waiters [we didn’t find this particularly so]…these spaces somehow also feel welcoming, offering newspapers, pastries, sofas, quick and light [or not so light], workers’ lunches, elegant ambience….”

The story of coffee in legend involves the siege of Vienna by the Ottoman Turks, their defeat, and the left coffee beans. “In the 18^th century, coffee boomed as an aristocratic drink. In the 19^th century….coffee became a hit with the working class, too.”

We strolled the shopping streets each day and were impressed with the fashion in the windows----not your local mall, but Vienna is Austria’s largest city with 2.6 million. The old Habsburg Empire was Europe’s most powerful and Vienna rivaled Paris and London. The old city is eminently walkable, decorated for Christmas all over and especially colorful at night. The old city wall circling the city is now a broad boulevard and easily traveled with the trams. We entered one of the many churches in the old city and sat to listen to the choir that was practicing for a concert that evening. The Cathedral, St. Stephens dates from 1300. It did lose its roof to fire during the bombing of WWII. Vienna is a very Catholic city. Mass was being said when we were at the Cathedral and heavily attended.

We searched out all the old cafés that we could. Our German son-in-law had suggested some new Michelin stared restaurants but we opted for the old traditional cafés and traditional food.

Heuriger are unique to Vienna, dating back to the 1780’s. These serve new wines in the vineyards on the outskirts of the city---best visited in warmer weather where one can sit outside, so we deferred on these.

Our first night we sought something close. Café Tirolerhof was just about 2 blocks up the street. We learned that we were not to wait to be seated but find our own table, usually a marble-topped one and a banquette plus chairs for seating. It was cozy and looked like a lot of locals reading their papers and eating or drinking. We wanted something to eat and chose Gulasch (Hungary is just a short distance away and where I usually think of goulash) and some Wurst (sausages). I had the Debreziner, a spicy one with paprika. And some red local wine. The Zweigelt seems to be on all the café menus. The guide book warned us of smoking, still very prevalent in Austria. But they had a separate enclosed room at the Tirolerhof for smokers. Beginning in 2018 all smoking in eating places is to be bared. We actually only ran into one place with nearby smokers---the American Bar. The Wurst we ordered was served with Senf (mustard) and fresh grated Kren (horseradish) which we really liked. Wurst is ubiquitous, found in the cafés as well as stalls on the street and certainly in the Christmas markets.

One of our favorite cafés was the Café Landtmann which was just across from the Rathaus (city hall) Christmas Market. We visited a couple times and by then had learned the art of finding a table in a busy café. Perhaps our favorite local food was Wiener Schnitzel, huge portions usually served with a side of potato salad or a green salad. I like white wine and often ordered Grüner Veltliner, another local favorite. I did try another local specialty, Tafelspitz (boiled beef, Emperor Franz Josef’s favorite) which was the worst dish I had. It needed to be kicked up several notches for me.

One of the cafés I wanted to try was the Trześniewski, an institution started by a Polish cook over a century ago, famous for its open-face finger sandwiches. We peeked in and it was standing only. The sandwiches really looked good, but we wanted a seat.

We had dinner twice in another café near our hotel (a 300 year old town house that has been a hotel for over 100 years, Schlosshotel Römischer Kaiser), the Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper with a contemporary, classy interior. They actually hand out a little souvenir recipe titled ‘the art of the perfect Wiener Schnitzel.’ I checked out their cookbook and then bought it. And we enjoyed their classic meals.

I chose to make a chicken schnitzel using the recipe when I got home, since good veal is hard to fine.

Recipe for Weiner Schnitzel from Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper.

Serves 4

4 thin slices of veal or 4 chicken breasts

2 eggs

Kosher salt

All-purpose flour, about 1 cup

Breadcrumbs, about 2 cups

Vegetable oil or clarified butter for frying

Directions:

Beat the eggs with a fork and not a mixer.

Gently pound the schnitzel or chicken breast.

Season each side evenly with salt.

Lay the schnitzel in the flour.

Cover both sides with flour.

Coat first with the beaten eggs, and then with the breadcrumbs, on both sides, pressing lightly.

Fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes till brown, and drain.

Garnish with lemon.

Guten Appetit!!

Christmas in Vienna

We decided to spend my husband’s December birthday (St. Nicholas Tag) in a cold, wintery climate. While it snowed here in the Deep South while we were gone, we had no snow in Austria. But Vienna was definitely cold and Christmassy. The Christmas markets are a must in the German speaking world and Vienna has one of the best. They are, it seems, in all the plazas, but the big one is at the grounds in front of the city hall. It is full of stalls selling hand blown glass ornaments (we bought a couple), everything for Christmas and loads of food and drink stalls. The thing to get is Glühwein (a spiced mulled wine). We used to get them while skiing in the Alps and we had a couple in Vienna with their souvenir cups to boot. Besides the stalls there is a skating rink and a carnival for the kids. So many people every night I could hardly move.

Glühwein

¾ cup water (or orange juice)

¾ cup white sugar (or less to taste)

1 cinnamon stick

1 orange

10 whole cloves

1 (750 ml) bottle red wine

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes until thick and syrupy.

Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)

We did tour the opera for which Vienna is world famous. Opera ticket costs are very expensive (though standing room can be had for a few Euros) and I don’t particularly like opera, so I thought the tour sufficient. It was quite informative and we saw the public spaces as well as back stage and the Emperor’s lounge. We also took in the Spanish Riding School. The Lipizzaner horses are quite a show. The show takes place in the stately 300 year old Baroque hall at the Hofburg Palace.

We also searched out the art of Gustav Klimt. You may remember a recent film (2015), ‘The Woman in Gold,’ about the famous Klimt portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish lady in fin de siècle Vienna. The portrait was stolen by the Nazis and wound up in the Austrian government’s art collection. Maria Altmann, Adele’s niece, had fled Vienna 60 years earlier and lives in the US. She sued the Austrian government to get what some called the Mona Lisa of Austria----and won. The painting was transferred to the United States and Mrs. Altmann sold it at auction. It brought a then record price for a painting, $135 million, and is now on display in New York at the Neue Gallery. See the movie if you haven’t. It is a good story. We saw perhaps Klimt’s most famous work, ‘The Kiss’, at the Belvedere Palace where it is on display along with many of his other works. The portrait of Bloch-Bauer was previously at the Belvedere.

Klimt was one of several architects and artists that made Vienna an avant garde city for the Jugendstil (the German term for Art Nouveau). We searched the old city for some of the architecture of the Jugendstil and found a jewel box---Loos’ American Bar. It is tiny and serves an amazing number of American cocktails. I even found my favorite on the menu---the Vieux Carrè.

Another iconic place that did not disappoint was the Sacher Stube. The Sacher Café had a longer line but the Stube was just as elegant. There we had to have the famous Sacher Torte (invented in 1832 by Franz Sacher, dessert chef to Prince Metternich). It is reported to be a dry chocolate cake, but had with Slagobers (whipped cream), it goes down well. My husband had a strudel with Slagobers which he thought was even better.

Sacher Torte

There are many recipes for Sacher Torte since the real recipe is a secret. I thought it rather dry but some recipes add jam to make it moist. Here is a recipe from King Arthur flour which I would like to try when I have time. But it is a beautiful cake any way you try it.

Sacher cake:

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

8 large eggs, separated

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

¾ cup sugar, superfine preferred

1 cup King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend

½ cup apricot jam

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray one 9” by 2” round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment. Spritz the parchment lightly as well. If your pan isn’t at least 2” deep, use two pans instead of one.

Over low heat or in the microwave melt the chocolate slowly, stirring well.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Add the melted chocolate, melted butter, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and satiny, with no lumps or unincorporated yolks.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to foam. Slowly add the sugar, then beat on high speed until the whites hold a stiff peak but are still glossy.

Using a wide rubber spatula, mix about 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate/yolk mixture to lighten it. Now, pour the lightened chocolate mixture over the rest of the whites in the bowl. Fold gently, using about 20 to 30 strokes.

Sprinkle the cake flour over the chocolate batter and continue to fold gently until there are no traces of egg white remaining.

Pour the batter into the pan(s). Bake until the cake is puffed and dry looking on top, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean: 40 to 45 minutes for a single pan, 20 to 25 minutes for two pans. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to peel off the parchment circle while the cake is still warm.

While the cake is cooling, strain the apricot jam through a fine sieve to remove any bits of fruit and make a smooth filling.

Filling the cake: If you used one cake pan, you will need to split the layer before filling. Use a long, sharp serrated knife to split the cake into two even layers. If you used two pans, simply spread the apricot jam between the layers, leaving ½ inch around the border so that the jam does not squeeze out over the sides of the cake.

For the chocolate Glaze: Place the filled cake on a wire rack over a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the chocolate, water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the glaze is smooth, shiny and slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

As soon as the glaze is smooth, immediately pour over the cake. The excess glaze will drip off of the cake onto the parchment paper. You can scoop up the excess glaze to cover any bare spots on the cake. Use a flexible spatula to help spread the glaze on the top and sides of the cake, but do not overwork or the glaze will not remain smooth and sleek.

Allow the glaze to set up at room temperature for a few hours before serving. This cake is best served the day it is made. Store any leftovers at room temperature for 1 day.

Don’t forget the Slagobers!