The Portabella Schnitzel is a vegetarian alternative to the famous Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet), which contrary to popular belief, by the way, is not a German dish. It actually originated from Austria (Wiener = from Vienna). This modern meatless Schnitzel originates in the USA and was created by German-born Chef Marcel Biro. You can also try making this dish with potato dumplings or Spätzle as a side instead of potatoes.
Servings 4
Ingredients
For the Schnitzel:
- 8 ounces German Camembert rind removed, at room temperature
- 1 ounce grated Butterkäse
- 1 ounce grated Tilsiter cheese
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- 4 large portabella caps peeled and gills removed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Garlic Potato Rosettes:
- 7 medium-sized Yukon Gold or Idaho potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 10 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- sea salt
- freshly ground white pepper
- freshly ground nutmeg
To plate the dish:
- 12 leaves baby spinach for garnish
- 12 cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the Camembert in a large mixing bowl. Add the Butterkäse, Tilsiter, sour cream, onions, garlic, chives, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine with your hands, as your body temperature will melt the cheese and make the mixture smoother. The mixture should be thick, about the texture of cream cheese. If it's too thin, add additional Butterkäse or Tilsiter. If it's too thick, add heavy cream.
- Season the portabellas with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese mixture inside the cap and press firmly. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in a second shallow dish. Place the bread crumbs in a third shallow dish. Dredge the stuffed portabellas in the flour, tapping gently to remove excess. Place them in the eggwash and cover completely, shaking gently to remove excess. Place the eggwashed portabellas into the breadcrumbs and coat completely. Repeat the process to double-bread.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large oven-proof sauté pan over high heat. Place the portabellas in the pan, stuffed-side-down, and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn and sauté until golden brown. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, allowing the cheese to rest before slicing.
For the Garlic Potato Rosettes:
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and just cover with the cream and milk. Add the garlic and salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the butter. Pass the potatoes through a food mill fitted with a fine gauge disk. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Place the potatoes in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
Presentation:
- Slice the mushrooms into quarters. Stack the slices in the center of each serving plate and pipe Garlic Potato Rosettes onto the plate at the 12:00, 4:00, and 8:00 positions. Place a leaf of baby spinach at the 2:00, 6:00, and 10:00 plate positions and garnish with a cherry tomato per leaf.
