9 October 2012

Celebrate Oktoberfest with a Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich with Lemony Fennel Coleslaw and a Crispy Potato Roast

Chicken Schnitzel with Lemony Fennel Slaw and Potato Roast
Growing up in Southern Ontario the onset of fall always meant that Oktoberfest celebrations could not be far off in Kitchener/Waterloo. Their 9 day festival is the second largest in the world and replaced my teenage dreams with chicken schnitzel, Bratwurst, roasted chicken and German beer. When I was in my late teens I found myself in a huge, vaulted bierhausen in Munich, Germany the home of Oktoberfest, downing a litre of beer, succulent rotisserie chicken and giant pretzels. Their 16-day long party is a celebration of beer, Bratwurst and all things Bavarian, and there were plenty of lederhosen on show. Today for that bit of nostalgia I could drive 4 hours south to the Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth, Washington on any of the first three weekends in October for live music and hearty German fare.


For now I have opted to stay home so to bring a little Oktoberfest into my kitchen I concocted this chicken schnitzel sandwich topped with a fall-inspired light and refreshing lemony fennel slaw. Instead of fries I served my sandwich with tender and crispy thinly sliced roasted potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme. The potatoes take a while to bake but are very simple to make and worth the wait. While they are roasting curl up with your latest book wrapped in a blanket on this cool, crisp fall day. A mandolin is helpful when preparing the potatoes but creating thin evenly sliced potatoes can easily be done with a sharp knife and some patience. Toast your roll,sizzle your schnitzel and pile your sandwich high with fennel coleslaw and you will be whisked to the streets of Munich to celebrate in your lederhosen. Ein prosit!

If you have pasta in your future don't forget Presto Pasta Nights. Send your pasta dishes before Friday.

**Chicken Schnitzel with Fennel Coleslaw**

 4 skinless chicken breasts
 1/2 cup plain flour
 Sea salt
 Freshly ground black pepper
 1 egg
 2 tablespoons milk
 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
 zest from 1 lemon
 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
 1 tablespoon butter
 1/2 cup olive oil
 4 rolls

 Put each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten slightly with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season. In another bowl, beat the egg with the milk. On a large plate, mix the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, and lemon zest. Dip each chicken fillet in flour to coat, then in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs and herb mix. Allow your cutlets to dry for better browning when frying.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the schnitzels for three minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through (don’t overcrowd the pan: cook in batches, if necessary). Drain on paper towels. Keep warm, until all the chicken is cooked.

 **Lemony Fennel Slaw**

 3 fennel bulbs, finely sliced
 2 tablespoons small salted capers, rinsed
1 small red onion, finely sliced
 1½ tablespoons fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped
 3 tablespoons good quality ready-made mayonnaise
 1 lemon, juice and zest
 Sea salt
 Freshly ground black pepper

 For the slaw, put the fennel, capers, onion and parsley in a bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise and lemon juice and zest and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


** Crispy Potato Roast**

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 lbs russet potatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
8 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine butter, crushed garlic and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a mandoline or food processor, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more. Yield: 8 servings.


You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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22 comments:

  1. All 3 dishes sound so good and hearty..Perfect time of year for them also:)

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  2. Love all three dishes Val. Could eat that chicken all day long.
    Sam

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  3. Oh, that sandwich is terrific! I've never made stuffed my buns with a schnitzel, but I'd definitely try. Yummy!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. I am loving your take on schnitzel - it's always been a favorite of mine. And those potatoes - oh yes, those potatoes. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. You must be gearing up for Italy.....

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  5. That is one tasty looking sandwich!

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  6. I sit here with a horrid head cold wishing I could sleep or bake.
    I get the worst food cravings when I'm sick too.
    This looks so good!

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  7. Wow! All three of these dishes look fantastic - guess those memories of Octoberfest are truly an inspiration for you! I especially love the idea of the fennel slaw ... such a nice change from the traditional cabbage slaw!

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  8. Dear Val, that sandwich looks mouthwatering! How gorgeous! I could dig right into that. Blessings, Catherine xo

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  9. OMYG Val this is absolutely awesome and delicious!!:)

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  10. YOu definitely know how to celebrate right!

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  11. I did not take advantage of Oktoberfest before we had the little one - now it will have to wait till he's a little older!

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  12. Okay, I want this for lunch! Love that fennel coleslaw, what a wonderful idea! Everything goes together so deliciously!

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  13. looks very tasty I love any kind of schnitzel....interesting way to have it with the slaw.....

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  14. Looks wonderful! I've just discovered you lovely blog ~ now following!
    Best,
    Anne

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  15. I wish I had seen this last week... we had an Oktoberfest party at my house last weekend. This sandwich looks AMAZING!

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  16. I could take a bite of that sandwich right now. Maybe I should pay a visit to Schnitzel and Things...Nah. Wouldn't taste as good as this.

    It's nice you have access to a good Oktoberfest. Festivals like that are gaining popularity around here, but they're usually so cheezy, filled with cheap food. People jsut use them as an excuse to get drunk.

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  17. Hayırlı cumalar, ellerinize, emeğinize sağlık. Çok leziz ve iştah açıcı bir görüntüsü var.

    Saygılar.

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  18. though i've never eaten schnitzel, for the longest time i thought it was always supposed to be served with noodles because of the song 'my favorite things' from the sound of music! :)

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  19. Oh boy! This all looks awesome. My husband would be so excited if I made this for him!

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  20. Everything sounds delciious, but where is the beer....;}

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  21. All three recipes sound wonderful. I'm particularly intrigued with the fennel slaw on the chicken!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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