Creamy Zurich Veal Pieces: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes

 Totally new "Word History" 8-24-22

Known in German as "Zürcher Geschnetzeltes,"* this dish is Swiss German, but it is far from uncommon in other German areas, including, of course, Austria and Germany. It is traditionally made with veal (usually from a hind leg), but boneless, skinless chicken breast or turkey breast and boneless pork are often used nowadays. Veal is an expensive meat, and the leg meat is commonly $15 to $20 a pound. There are some recipe variations, as for instance, some people do not use mushrooms, and others do not use paprika. "Geschnetzeltes" is traditionally served with "Rösti," Swiss fried potatoes, which Americans know as "hash browns," ** but "Spätzle" (English: "spaetzle"), common German little dumplings/pasta bits, are also a good choice.***  NOTE ON COOKING: If you use a cheaper cut of veal, you may need to cook it longer to get it tender. Making sure to cut it into thin strips certainly helps, but you can also simmer the veal separately in a pan with some oil or butter and with the chicken broth, with a lid, over low heat. Just keep checking it for tenderness. When tender, add the veal to the skillet, and reserve the cooking broth until called for in the instructions. I've done this before myself when I've used veal stew meat. Chicken breast, turkey breast or boneless pork should not pose any such similar problem.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 pound boneless veal cut into strips (or use chicken, turkey or pork)
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons flour
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth 
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup sliced mushrooms, crimini or button 
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (use Hungarian paprika for authenticity)
lemon juice/lemon slices

In a skillet, melt the butter over low heat (or you can certainly use a mixture of butter and olive oil or canola oil). Add the onion and cook for about two minutes, then add the veal. Add the mushrooms, paprika, pepper, and sprinkle the flour over the skillet ingredients and stir to mix. Cook for another couple of minutes, then gradually add the white wine and chicken broth, stirring to mix everything, which should thicken somewhat. Add the salt and stir to mix. Gradually stir in the cream until it is all mixed in. You can let everything gently simmer to cook down, if you'd like. The sauce should be somewhat thickened (if too thick, add a little more broth or wine). Serve with lemon slices on the side. 

* In the German dialect of Zurich it is "Züri Gschnätzlets."

** In the United States the potato dish is called "hash browns," and it is typically served as a "fried block of shredded potato," whereas in Switzerland, the dish is usually a round portion, from the shape of the pan. The Swiss have variations on the basic potato dish, like the addition of cheese, or onion, or other items. I often ordered Rösti at a restaurant in Wiesbaden, Germany years ago. Rösti is usually a side dish. By the way the word "Rösti" (noun) is simply a dialect form of standard German "rösten" (verb); and it is, therefore, related to English "roast." 

*** Spaetzle are also called "Knöpfle" in some German regions. To make your own "spaetzle," this article has the recipe:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/02/spatzle-in-sour-sauce-sauer-spatzle.html
 
I made a nice big serving of "Rösti," and a kale and tomato salad for my "Zürcher Geschnetzeltes"

WORD HISTORY:   

Otter-This name for a sleek weasel-like animal that lives in or near water is related to "wet," "water" and "wash," all words from the Germanic roots of English, and it is distantly related to "vodka," a word English borrowed from Russian, and to "hydro," a word English borrowed from Greek. "Otter" goes back to Indo European "wed," meaning "water," which spawned the adjective "udros," which meant "of or relating to water," and from this came the noun "udra/udro" meaning "water animal, water creature." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "utraz" (then "otraz" in the West Germanic branch?), meaning "otter," and this gave Old English "otr/otor," which then became "otir/oter," before the modern form. The other Germanic languages have: German and Low German "Otter," West Frisian and Dutch "otter," Danish "odder," Icelandic "otur," Norwegian "oter," Swedish "utter."  

Hunter's Schnitzel (Jägerschnitzel)

This is something of a classic German dish. I've had it many times in Germany, where I would also have a "Jägermeister" * with it, ahh, for digestive purposes only, bringing the waiter or waitress to always say, "Jägerschnitzel, Jägermeister" (Hey, they thought it was funny, but I wasn't terribly impressed until my third Jägermeister, then I'd laugh like hell! hahaha)
 
Ingredients:

4 veal or pork cutlets, pounded relatively thin
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 lb mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil for frying
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup broth (veal or chicken)
3 strips bacon, cut into about 1 inch pieces**
1/2 cup of cream or half and half
3 tablespoons of flour + flour to coat the cutlets
salt and pepper
parsley, for garnish

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Season each cutlet with a little salt and pepper, then lightly flour each. Fry the cutlets until cooked through and browned on both sides. Keep the cutlets warm while you prepare the sauce in the same skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and sauté the bacon for about 90 seconds, then add the onion and mushrooms, cook until the onion is softened. I sprinkle the flour over the bacon, onion, mushroom mixture, a little at a time, using a fork to thoroughly and quickly mix in the flour, but you can whisk the flour with the wine or broth, then add it to the skillet, stirring constantly. You can always adjust the amount of flour you add, according to how thick you like the sauce. If you sprinkle and mix the flour, then add the wine, stirring constantly, then add the broth, also stirring constantly. Add the cream or half and half, stirring well. Serve each schnitzel with sauce over it, or partially covering it, or even to the side of the schnitzel, then add a little parsley on top. Don't forget the Jägermeister, just for digestive purposes, of course.

* Jägermeister is a German "herbal" alcoholic drink, called a "digestif" (digestive), likely its original purpose, but from the 1980s on it developed an increasing popularity in the United States as a regular bar drink, often by the shot. It also became a mainstay at many parties, even spawning "Jägermeister parties." It is usually served cold. It is made from over 50 herbs and roots.

** There are a variety of recipes for Jägerschnitzel, and some people do not use bacon.

Jägerschnitzel with sliced tomatoes and Rösti, a fried potato dish from the Germans of Switzerland (about 70% of Switzerland is German), although the dish is not completely unheard of in the French and Italian parts of the country. In the United States the potato dish is called "hash browns," and is typically served as a "fried block of shredded potato," whereas in Switzerland, the dish is usually a round portion, from the shape of the pan. The Swiss have variations on the basic potato dish, like the addition of cheese, or onion, or other items. I often ordered Rösti at a restaurant in Wiesbaden, Germany years ago. Rösti is usually a side dish. By the way the word "Rösti" (noun) is simply a dialect form of standard German "rösten" (verb); and therefore related to English "roast." (See Word History below)

WORD HISTORY:
Roast-The history of this word is a bit sketchy, but it "seemingly" goes back to Indo European "reus/rews," which had the notion of "sizzle, crackle." The actual form derived from the Indo European "may" have developed in the West Germanic dialects, with a form meaning  "to cook by the fire," or  "to cook on a metal sheet or grate." That form gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "rostian," with the same basic meaning. Whether the word died out, or remained in use only among the common people in England is unclear, but French, a Latin-based language, but with much Germanic vocabulary, especially centuries ago, had "rostir" from Germanic Frankish. This certainly reinforced any such existing English word, and brought it into broader use, but it may well have reintroduced it to English in the 1300s, when the word was "rosten,'' prior to the modern form. Other forms in the Germanic languages: German "rösten" (also in limited use by Low German Saxon, but apparently a borrowing from standard German. Previously Low German had "rost"), Dutch "roosteren." I could not find a form in Frisian, nor in any of the North Germanic languages (primarily Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish), thus the "possibility" of the word developing in West Germanic.