Postcard from Berlin: Turkey Cutlets with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Surprise! I’ve changed continents. Here’s hoping you’ll enjoy my dispatches from my new home, Berlin—where every trip to the grocery store is an adventure, the produce is fresh and cheap, and the cashiers are surly but move at the speed of light.

Like so many others, today’s recipe started with one irresistible seasonal ingredient:

It’s mushroom season in Germany, and these beauties (chanterelles, or Pfifferlinge) have been cropping up all over menus in Berlin.

I stumbled upon a brimming basketful in the market this week and began plotting ways to highlight their deliciousness.

In a nod to my new surroundings, I settled on German cutlet (Schnitzel) marinated in tangy lemon juice, gently pan-fried, and swathed in a creamy mushroom-herb sauce.

This dish is a fantastic study in contrasts: the crisp coating against the sultry sauce; the bright lemon against the rich, mellow mushrooms.  In short, delicious.  Guten Appetit!

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Hollandaise Sauce

Have you ever aimed for Hollandaise sauce, but ended up with scrambled eggs or an oily mess? Meet your new best friend:

Photo courtesy of Buy.com

Here is a really simple recipe for making creamy, non-separating, non-curdling Hollandaise sauce—one that doesn’t require a double boiler, egg tempering, or exhaustive whisking. What an improvement. Now, I realize it’s unfair to give you such an easy, fattening recipe as you’re trying to stick to your healthy eating resolutions, but if you put just dab on grilled fish or a bunch of fresh asparagus (don’t send me hate mail because it’s not in season), we can both be happy.

-1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
-3 egg yolks
-1 Tbsp. lemon juice (please don’t use that disgusting bottled stuff)
-Dash of cayenne pepper
-salt (you may not much, or any) and pepper (preferrably white) to taste

1.  Melt the butter slowly in a very small pot, being careful not to brown or burn it (or, melt it in one of those liquid measuring cup pitchers in the microwave).

2.  Blend the egg yolks and lemon juice in the blender.

3.  With the blender still on, very carefully and slowly pour in the melted butter.

4.  Blend until your sauce is the consistency of thin mayonnaise.

This can be done ahead, up to the point where you add the butter to the blended egg mixture. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat your butter slightly, so the sauce will be warm. I’d rather not make it fully ahead and then reheat it on the stove— double boilers are a big pain, you might scramble the eggs, and raw eggs sitting around in warm butter just seem like the perfect medium for growing icky bacteria.

Variation: Instead of lemon juice, I usually make a flavored vinegar reduction. Boil 3-4 Tbsp. white or cider vinegar (not balsamic, it will discolor your sauce) with 1 bay leaf, some cracked black pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Reduce to 2 Tbsp. and strain, allow to cool, then proceed as with lemon juice.

p.s. I haven’t tried yet, but I’m sure this recipe could be made in a food processor as well.  The feed tube might even make adding the butter easier.

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Best Bolognese Sauce

This is the real deal: beef ragu with tomatoes (not tomato sauce that happens to have a little beef in it). Delicious, and one of my favorite recipes to cook AND eat.

-1T olive oil
-3T butter
-1/2 c. finely diced onion
-2/3 c. finely diced celery
-2/3 c. finely diced carrot
-3/4 lb. ground meat–meatloaf blend (beef+pork+veal). Omit veal if that’s how you roll.
-1 c. milk (not less than 2%)
-1 c. dry white wine
-1 1/2 c. canned plum tomatoes and juice (Cento are good)
-1/2 c. minced mushrooms
-1 beef bullion cube or 1 c. beef broth

season to taste:

-hot pepper flake
-minced garlic
-minced shallot
-chopped fresh parsley
-chopped fresh basil, if you have it
-S&P
-dash nutmeg, optional

1. Fry onion in butter and oil over low heat. Add garlic, shallot, carrot and celery

2. Add meat, pinch of S&P, cook until pink.

3. Add milk, let bubble away.

4. Add wine and bullion, simmer til evaporated.

5. Crush the tomatoes and add to the sauce, along with the mushrooms. Season to taste.

6. Simmer for at least 45 min.

Serve with a hearty pasta such as tagliatelle or rigatoni. Or go classic American with spaghetti.

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Barbecue Sauce, after Ina Garten

A great blend of flavors, for those who like a sweet, spicy sauce.  Makes 6 cups.  This recipe can easily be halved.

 
-1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 lg. onion)
-1 T. minced garlic (3 cloves)
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
-1 cup cider vinegar
-1 cup honey
-1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
-1 cup Dijon mustard
-1/2 cup soy sauce
-1 cup hoisin sauce
-2 T. chili powder
-1 T. ground cumin
-1/2 T. crushed red pepper flakes
-dash of chipotle pepper sauce
-dash of Sriracha pepper sauce

1.   In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned.
2.   Whir the onions and garlic briefly in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to pan.
3.   Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes.

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