Guten Appetit!! Pork Schintzel, Munich Style Sauerkraut and Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Last year my friends and I went on a fantastic vacation to Europe. We ate our way through all kinds of countries and all kinds of cuisine. We had Italian and Seafood in Italy in Florence and Venice. We had Swiss food and German food in Switzerland and Munich. And we had Greek and Turkish and Pizza and Moderne German cuisine in Berlin. We sampled all kinds of fare in between and sweets and coffee and brandy brandy brandy. Who knew I liked that.

It was however in Munich we fell in love with the German Beer hall fare. I mean like crazy tourists we really got into it. pork knuckles and spatzel and sauerkraut and bratwurst oh my! In fact after one dinner our shared plates kinda looked like this.

But it was the Schnitzel in Berlin and the Sauerkraut from Munich that my Chef friend Lauren and I figured out how to try and replicate here at home. So here is the effort. The recipes are actually very easy and the Sauerkraut starts with your favorite quality store bought brand. The potatoes are great. All in all this is a week night dinner if you have an hour to get it all together. So give it a try and Guten Appetit!

• 1 1⁄2lbs pork tenderloin or 4 boneless Pork Chops
• 1Pound  Mushrooms sliced or quartered
• 1⁄3cup white wine
• 1 1⁄2tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 -2tablespoon olive oil
• 2tablespoons butter 
• 1⁄2cup flour
• 1⁄2teaspoon onion salt and garlic powder and paprika each

1. Directions
2. 1. Slice the pork tenderloin into ½ inch slices on a diagonal.
3. 2. Pound thin between plastic wrap with a meat mallet.
4. 3. Sift together the flour and onion salt garlic powder and paprika .
5. 4. Lightly dredge the pork and shake off any excess flour.
6. 5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
7. 6. Cook the pork 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and transfer to a warm plate. Then saute the mushrooms hold on the side
8. 7. Wipe out skillet.
9. 8. Heat a tablespoon of butter in skillet.
10. 9. Add the capers, white wine and lemon juice.
11. 10. Allow to reduce just a little before adding the final tablespoon of butter.
12. 11. Mix slowly to incorporate and remove immediately from the heat.
13. 12. Place pork and Mushrooms in skillet to reheat when warm plate the pork then spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the pork and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired for color.

Sauerkraut

1 large jar sauerkraut - drained
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chicken or beef stock

Saute the onion in the garlic
Drain and add sauerkraut to the pot
add caraway and parsley
Cook on low for an hour.

Mustard Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs cubed and peeled yukon gold potatoes
1 stick butter
3 tablespoons Yellow or brown Mustard
1/2 cup cream warmed
1/4 cup chopped chives
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes then drain add butter and cream and mustard and mash
Stir in chives season with salt and pepper and serve

Pastrami Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs are high on every one's list these days. Caterers, Restaurants, Gastro Pubs and bar menus are all featuring these retro tasty throwbacks to the 1950's and 60's cocktail parties.

I personally love them. They are like all the things I love to eat in one package. They immediately remind me of being 5 or 6 years old again and eating deviled eggs at a church function or at my house when company would come over. I loved them then and I love them now.

For Christmas entertaining this year I made these deviled eggs. They could not have been easier. And they could not have been more delicious. Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) first introduced smoked salmon deviled eggs to me.

But a few years ago when I was introduced to pastrami smoked salmon ( ie. Salmon cured with the spices from Pastrami curing and then smoked) by my friend Fred I thought what madness is this! It's truly beyond delicious.

So I saw it at the local supermarket over Christmas and thought lets use this to make deviled eggs. And wow are they good. So if you want to try something new for your next party, brunch or even just a family dinner or picnic. Try these. You won't be sorry! Yum Ya'll  

The Ultimate Pastrami Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs 

8 eggs hard boiled and peeled
1 heaping spoonful Dukes mayonnaise
4 heaping spoonfuls of chive and onion cream cheese in a small tub
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
6 Tablespoons finely minced pastrami smoked salmon ( or other if using)
16 small slices of salmon for garnish
4 Tablespoons chives chopped finely ( a few cut into batons and reserved for garnish)
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the eggs in half. Scoop out the yokes into a bowl you'll have 16 halves
Mix with the other ingredients except salmon
Mash until a smooth paste forms
Add the salmon and mix into the egg mixture
Place the filling in a plastic bag refrigerate for about an hour.
Cut a corner off the bag
Fill the whites
Place a sliver of the salmon on the top to garnish
Garnish further with chive batons

Steak House Quesadillas - Mexican American at it's Finest

Nachos are some of my favorite things to eat and Quesadillas are a close second. So I had a bunch of stuff leftover from a few dinner nights and some friends were coming over to watch some movie on TV. and I said I'll make us dinner. Well I looked through the fridge and came up with left over flank steak, creamed spinach, shredded cheddar Salsa, Sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions and chives and large flour tortillas. In the cupboard I found refried beans and  Japanese fried onions you know the ones they put on Ramen. I knew I had the makings of Steak House Nachos!

These could not be simpler. Take the Sour cream and add a few dashes of hot sauce. Then you simply mix the beans ad some salsa. You heat that then take it off the heat. Also heat the creamed spinach and also let cool a bit.

Then take one tortilla at a time and start building. First you spread a little bean mixture then you spread a little spinach you add the other ingredients and fold the thing over into a flat taco. Then you cook it in a little vegetable oil till hot and melted. Let it sit a bit so it doesn't all slide out of the tortilla when you are cutting it. When cooled a bit cut it into sections. Place the sections on a baking sheet then repeat till you've used up all your ingredients. Reheat when ready to serve.

Garnish with the sour cream and the crispy onions and chopped chives. Eat!