Sunnys Scallion Spaetzle Food

SUNNY'S BK JAGERSCHNITZEL WITH SUNNY'S LEMON-THYME SPAETZLE

Steps:

• For the chops: Use a rolling pin to flatten the chops to a little less than 1/2-inch thin. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper.
• Set up the dredging station: Get 3 large bowls or plates in a row, with the last one closest to your stove. Place a plate next to the last bowl. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the middle bowl, add the eggs with a splash of water. In the last bowl, add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried sage, cardamom, Hungarian paprika, salt, black pepper, chili powder and lemon zest. Stir with a fork.
• Dredge the chops: First, take each seasoned chop and dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Dip each in the egg, and then press each into the breading mixture, making sure to completely cover both sides. Remove each to the resting plate.
• Fry the chops: In a large pan over medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook the chops until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside. To keep warm, cover gently with aluminum foil and do not seal (or place in a warm oven anywhere from 100 to 150 degrees F, uncovered).
• For the gravy base: In the same pan on medium heat, add more oil if needed. Add the carrots, celery, half the onions, thyme, bay leaf, a pinch of salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Cook while stirring until everything is tender and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat and add the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by about half, add the beef broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce the sauce by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down to get the most liquid out of the solids. Set aside.
• Finish the mushroom gravy: Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Over medium heat, add the butter and melt, but don't brown it. If the heat is too high, lower it. Then add the remaining chopped onions, the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Cook while stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and stir while cooking a few more minutes until the veggies soak up the flour. Add the reserved sauce base back to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook while stirring until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve poured over the cooked chops. Serve with Sunny's Lemon-Thyme Spaetzle.
• For the batter: In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, thyme, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and lemon zest. Gradually whisk in the flour to make a thick, tight batter. Add more flour by the spoonful until the proper texture is met (this should feel like it won't drip through a colander whole, but can be pressed through and remain stringy, not doughy).
• Boil the spaetzle: Fill a double boiler halfway with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and place a colander over the pot. Add a heaping cup of spaetzle batter at a time to the colander and, with a rubber spatula, press the batter through the holes into the boiling water. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the colander between pressings and stir the spaetzle into the water so the next group of batter doesn't stick to the one before it. The spaetzle is cooked when it floats to the top. Remove with a fine mesh sieve and strain to remove as much water as possible (shake it!).
• Pan fry the spaetzle: In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the butter to the remaining bacon fat in the pan and allow it to melt. Then add the boiled spaetzle to the pan to saute. Water and oil can produce splattering, be careful! Allow the spaetzle to build a golden crust, and then toss and cook until it's mostly golden all over, but still tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the bacon back to the pan and toss. Sprinkle with lemon juice, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

QUICK SCALLION BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the milk, zest and lemon juice in a tall glass. Refrigerate and allow to curdle for 10 to 15 minutes, until thick. Sift together the flour, a generous pinch of salt, and baking soda into a medium bowl. Using your fingers gently mix in the butter until an even, but grainy texture is reached, being careful not to melt the butter as you work. Add the soured milk and scallions and stir until the dough comes together. (Dough will be sticky.) Gather the dough into a ball, and refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes, until chilled.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead 3 to 4 times until the dough is smooth. For fluffy biscuits do not over knead the dough! Roll out the dough to about 3/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch pastry ring or the top of a glass. Arrange the biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Allow the biscuits to slightly touch and gently adhere when baked. Bake until biscuits are golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bread basket or bowl and serve.

HOMEMADE SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, eggs and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then gradually stir in up to 1 cup water to make a smooth, batter-like dough. Beat with a wooden spoon until bubbles form, then stir in the melted butter.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Place about 1 cup of the dough in a colander with large holes; use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes and into the boiling water. (Or use a spaetzle press.) Cook for about 1 minute after the spaetzle float to the surface, then transfer with a slotted spoon to another colander. Repeat with the remaining dough. Rinse the spaetzle in cold water if not serving immediately and set aside.
• Before serving, saute the spaetzle in a skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until warmed through. Season with pepper and garnish with parsley.

SUNNY'S EASY LEMON AND THYME SCHNITZEL

Steps:

• For the dredging station: In 3 dishes, set up your dredging station; 1 cup flour, salt and pepper, and paprika in one, then beat the eggs with a splash of water and salt and pepper in the second dish. In the third dish, mix together with a fork the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, thyme, and salt and pepper.
• For the pork: Sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper. Run each cutlet through your dredging station in this order: flour, egg and breading. Make sure to shake off excess between dips.
• Fry the cutlets. Pour enough oil to measure 1 inch in your largest skillet and heat on medium-high until it registers 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Working in batches, place the cutlets in the oil and fry until golden and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
• Serve with lemon wedges for spritzing.