Good fodder! You can’t go wrong with a Wiener Schnitzel can you?!
This was GOOD! I liked the garnish of beetroot, capers, lemon and anchovies very much indeed.
I found an index card knocking around my flat the other day. Written on it in a drunken scrawl was the following:
He was a bit wooden. But she’s one of the greatest actresses that ever walked the earth.
I knew immediately who had said it (Mr Rathbone), but neither of us could remember who he was talking about. In the end, by process of deduction, we worked out it was about Oskar Werner and Gena Rowlands. They played a married couple in a fabulous Columbo episode called Playback.
Oskar’s Weiner Schnitzel recipe is destined for the forthcoming Columbo Cookbook so I’m fiddling around with it. If you would like it in the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Page. I am hurtling towards having all the recipes test cooked, and getting fat into the bargain. Shall I go on a diet once I’ve done them all? I think I had better…
Oh, here’s something especially for Greg Swensen over at Recipes For Rebels and everyone else who either a) loves Bird’s Eye Potato Waffles or b) has no idea what they are…
This is by way of a thank-you to Greg for finding me the Oskar Werner recipe when he was on the “most wanted” list… Watch out, this will definitely give you an ear worm…
Oskar Werner’s Wiener Schnitzel
1 pound / 450 grams veal steak (cut from leg) cut 1/4 inch thick
1 egg
Few drops of water (or milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup / 25 grams fine bread crumbs
3 tablespoons sweet / unsalted butter (or half butter, half bacon grease)
Cooked beets
Sliced lemon
8 anchovy fillets
Handful of capers
Pound meat with a wooden mallet to flatten. Beat egg with water or milk. Season meat well, dip steaks into the bread crumbs. Shake off, then dip in egg, let stand 10 minutes. Dip again in bread crumbs.
Heat butter in heavy skillet / frying pan; brown meat quickly on both sides. Remove steaks to heated platter. Garnish with sliced small beets, slice of lemon over which cross two anchovy fillets and sprinkle with capers. Serve with mixed cooked vegetables (brussels sprouts, asparagus tips or green beans) and boiled (or mashed) potatoes.
Serves 4
Note: You can ask your butcher to pound the veal slices thin.
For California touches, Oskar uses paprika, a dash of nutmeg and white pepper to season the meat Add grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese to bread crumbs. Deglaze pan using white wine flavoured with chopped fresh basil, rosemary or tarragon mixed with sour cream.
I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again…my head collapsed in on itself and every time I close my eyes I’m seeing waffles and flappers!
LOL Soooo…my first impression of the Birds Eye Potato Waffle commercial as an American “Appalachian hillbilly” impression was way off…it’s 1920s/30s Eddie Cantor.
That mash-up video may be permanently burned into my retinas (I’ve watched it 3 times so far…and I’m flabbergasted). I do think Electro Velvet would definitely have placed higher if only they had gone with the “waffle-ly versatile” remix version! (And yes, I admit I DO watch Eurovision every year…don’t tell anyone though.)
So I’m at an even bigger loss to understand now, than a week ago when I was blissfully unaware of potato waffles. Life will never be the same.
On a bright note, there’s Wiener Schnitzel…and I love your artistic garni! Bravo on all the progress you’ve made with Columbo. Thanks Jenny, this post made me laugh a lot!
Bird’s Eye Potato Waaaaaaaaaafles! I STILL have this in my head on repeat. I think there is a head tip to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in the original waffles commercial. Do you know them? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyVDUVJvDlM – love their stuff.
I am SO PLEASED you watch Eurovision. Me too. I once won a considerable amount of money when I bet on Dana International to win! Haven’t repeated that since though…
I must catch up on your blog posts – where the hell does all the time go? x
Thank you for this post. I became interested in Oskar Werner after I saw Jules et Jim, but I never saw any recipes. Where on earth did you find them?
Hi Carolyn, thanks for dropping by! This recipe is from a book called Celebrity Cookbook which is a collection of recipes Johna Blinn put together. She interviewed loads and loads of movie stars for a syndicated newspaper column and the cucumber salad recipe I have for Oskar is from that column too. Here’s a link to the page https://www.newspapers.com/image/100879943/ – I just love all of Johna’s columns, they reveal so much about what stars liked to eat and cook – Jenny x