Julian’s Wiener schnitzel (like the Wieners do)

‘Coming from a Viennese family the schnitzel has a place in my heart. This is my version, which comes from my stepmother’s family as passed down to me from my father. The stereotypical Viennese schnitzel is made with milk-fed veal; however many Viennese households prefer a pork schnitzel. These traditional schnitzels are also cooked in lard, which is very typical in Viennese cooking and adds a heap of flavour.

Note that the lard takes time to melt and reach cooking temperature so don’t leave it to the last minute — starting on low–medium heat in a heavy-based saucepan and then increasing the heat once melted, the lard will take half an hour or so to get up to the right temperature. Once the lard has cooled after cooking, strain it through a sieve into a jar and store in the fridge until the next time.

Serve with a potato salad and a fresh green salad. Prepare the potato salad an hour or more before cooking in order to allow the potatoes to absorb and mix with the dressing.’

Julian Schimmel, retail customer

Feeds: 4 | Preparation time: 25 minutes | Cooking time: 35 minutes

6–8 pork loin steaks, trimmed and cut into butterflied steaks about 5 mm (¼ in) thick

3 eggs

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

165 g (5¾ oz/1½ cups) fine dry breadcrumbs

500–750 g (1 lb 2 oz–1 lb 10 oz) lard

Lemon wedges and a green salad, to serve

Potato salad

700 g (1 lb 9 oz) kipfler potatoes (all roughly the same size)

2 small French shallots, finely chopped

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

100 ml (3½ fl oz) chicken stock (preferably homemade), warmed

Chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve (optional)

To make the potato salad, steam potatoes over a saucepan of boiling water for 20–25 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, add shallot to vinegar and leave to macerate. When potatoes are done, remove from steamer and cool briefly on a plate. After a few minutes, put the plate in the fridge for 5–10 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into 5 mm–1 cm (¼–½ in) rounds. Add olive oil to vinegar and shallots, and add a generous sprinkle of salt and some freshly ground black pepper, then whisk together to emulsify.

Mix peeled (still slightly warm) potato rounds and dressing together with stock. Initially the mixture will be quite wet and soupy. After 5–10 minutes, mix it again gently with your hands to avoid the potatoes breaking up too much. After another 10 minutes, mix it again. After another mix or two the potatoes will absorb a lot of the liquid and the starch from the potatoes will also combine with the dressing to create a creamy texture. Shortly before serving, garnish with parsley.

For the schnitzels, place a piece of plastic wrap on a chopping board, top with a pork loin steak and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound gently with a wooden meat mallet to flatten and tenderise the meat — don’t use too much force; it shouldn’t be pounded too thin, but should increase in size by about half. Repeat with remaining pork loin, season with salt, and set aside on a tray.

Crack eggs into a bowl and beat to combine, and place flour and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.

Melt enough lard over low–medium heat in a heavy-based saucepan to come 1 cm (½ in) up the side. Lard is ready when a pinch of breadcrumbs starts sizzling immediately when added. When lard is ready, increase heat to medium–high, take a piece of pork loin, dust it in flour, shaking off excess, then dip it in egg and coat it in breadcrumbs. Slide pork into the hot lard and immediately prepare another piece of pork and slide it into the lard. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three pieces at a time. Fry, turning every 30 seconds or so, for 3–4 minutes until deep golden brown; be careful, the lard will bubble vigorously. Remove schnitzels and let the lard drain before placing onto a warm plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining pork.

Season schnitzels with a pinch of salt and serve with potato salad, lemon wedges and a green salad.