Couch Culture Club - Germany
Guten Tag! Welcome to another week of the Couch Culture Club, we’re off to Germany!
Prepare for a roller-coaster ride of feasts, treats and history with this weeks Couch Culture Club destination, Germany. There is something undeniably charismatic about Germany, it’s somewhere many of us dream to venture or already have.
This week will be an absolute treat paying homage to Germany with some favourite classics. Starting with the iconic Schnitzel, you’ll be preparing what the Germans call the Hunters Schnitzel or Jägerschnitzel. Historically made with venison or wild boar backstrap, your pork version would be best served with potato and parsley. Pair your Jägerschnitzel with a curious classic, Underberg. A 150 year old German digestif that has withstood the test of time. Known for the intense flavors that it packs into its tiny 20 ml bottles, it’s been rising in popularity as a cocktail ingredient and the perfect ways to cheers to Germany this week with a Kräuter Sauer. Your German immersion wouldn’t be complete without a bit of history, so this weeks film selection The Lives of Others will transport you to 1983 East Germany to uncover the secret police’s investigation on its suspect citizens.
If you’re headed with us this week, we would love to see your photos you can send them to us on Facebook or via email
Jägerschnitzel "hunter's schnitzel"
INGREDIENTS
Schnitzel
4 thin pork fillets or chops
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
3 large eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
Mushroom Sauce
1 tbsp butter
2–3 shallots
400–500 g mushrooms
100 ml white wine
100 ml veal or beef stock
250 ml cream
METHOD
Ensure fillets or chops are 2-3 cm thick, pound flat if needed. In one shallow bowl mix flour and 2 tsp salt. Place beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in an additional two separate bowls. Dredge the pork chops first in the flour, then in the egg, and then the breadcrumbs, coating the entire outside of the chop.
In a large fry pan, heat a healthy splash of oil. Once hot fry the schnitzel until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep warm (low heat oven is a good option).
Now to make the sauce, melt the butter in the fry pan, add the shallots and mushroom and fry until the mushroom is soft. Add the wine and allow the sauce to reduce. Add the beef stock and cream and season to taste. If the sauce is not thick enough you can add some cornflour (about 2 tsp).
Return the meat with its juices to the pan and heat through in the sauce. Or simply pour sauce over if meat is still hot.
Kräuter Sauer
Underberg is a 150 year old German digestif that has withstood the test of time. Known for the intense flavors that it packs into its tiny 20 ml bottles, it’s been rising in popularity as a cocktail ingredient and the perfect ways to cheers to Germany this week with a Kräuter Sauer. Kräuter is the German word for “herbs”, so this cocktail is essentially named the herbal sour.
What you’ll need
60 ml Vermouth
1 bottle Underberg Bitters
20 ml lemon juice
20 ml simple syrup
How to make it
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice then strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.
The Lives Of Others
This weeks film selection is the German drama film, The Lives of Others. Set in 1984 East Germany, the film follows the story of East Germany’s secret police investigating people who might be deemed a threat to the state. Described as an unfailingly honest look at a shadowy period in recent German history, you can watch this film for free on SBS on Demand by Clicking Here
