Pork Schnitzel with Cucumber Salad and Champagne

Skip the Grüner and pair Champagne with fried schnitzel.

As many of you know, I’ve been writing recipes with wine pairings for Wine Enthusiast. Here’s a recent selection from the fall wine and food guide. 

Traditionally, Austrians use veal for their Wiener Schnitzel. But “schnitzel” merely describes a cutlet of meat, pounded thin, then breaded and fried, so pork subs in easily. Plus, it’s cheaper and less ethically ambiguous. The cool flavors of cucumber and dill balance the dish, while the salad, as a swap for potatoes, reduces carbs — for those of you who are counting.

To Pair: Champagne
Grüner Veltliner is the traditional schnitzel match, but it’s hardly the only wine that works. Case in point: Champagne, a lover of crunchy, fried foods. Pork is light enough in flavor to let a rich, toasty bottle of Champers shine, while the wine’s brisk character will cut through the meat’s fried exterior.

Serves 4; Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Four 4-ounce boneless pork chops, butterflied and pounded thin (ask your butcher to prepare the meat for you)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
Cucumber Salad
4 Persian cucumbers
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sherry or champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped dill plus sprigs for garnish
Salt and pepper, to season

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut cucumbers into thin rounds and finely chop the dill. In a bowl, add the sour cream, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Add cucumber slices, dill, then mix. Cover and put it in the refrigerator.

2. Beat eggs in bowl with milk. Put flour and panko on separate plates or waxed paper. Season pork with salt and pepper and dip in the flour, then egg, then panko, pressing gently to coat.

3. In a large skillet, heat a 1/2 inch of oil until shimmering. Add cutlets (in a single layer) and cook over high heat, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add parsley to the skillet and cook until crisp, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer parsley to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Serve the pork with the cucumber salad. Garnish with parsley.