THE traditional Austrian dish of Weiner Schnitzel is a classic retro dish from the 1980s. The combination of a light crispy crumb and delicately thin escalope of veal presents a sumptuous dish perfect for home dining with family and friends.

Crispy veal escalopes with rocket, parmesan & caper salad

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients for the escalopes

  • 4 veal escalopes
  • 100g plain flour
  • Salt and freshly ground
  • Fairtrade black pepper
  • 2 Freedom Food eggs
  • 1 tsp Fairtrade olive oil
  • 200g fine breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil or Fairtrade olive oil & butter for frying

For the salad

  • 200g rocket leaves
  • 100g parmesan cheese, shaved
  • 25g capers in brine
  • 50ml Fairtrade olive oil
  • Fairtrade Lemon, wedges

Put the flour into a shallow bowl and season well with salt and black pepper.

Beat the eggs with a teaspoon of olive oil in another shallow dish.

Pour the fine breadcrumbs on to a plate.

Season the escalopes with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then coat them in the seasoned flour on both sides and shake off the excess.

Dip the escalopes into the egg mixture then lay each escalope on to the breadcrumbs, press firmly down to make sure the crumbs stick evenly to the escalope then turn over and repeat the process.

Heat the vegetable oil or olive oil and butter mix in a heavy based frying pan using enough to fill the base of the pan to about 1cm depth.

When the oil is hot enough to colour a piece of white bread to pale gold in about a minute, reduce the heat slightly so as to maintain this temperature.

Place the escalopes into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown underneath then turn and cook the other side It maybe necessary to increase the heat again half way through cooking to maintain the best frying temperature.

Remove the escalopes from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

Mix the rocket, parmesan, capers and olive oil together in a bowl, adding a teaspoon of the brine from the caper jar too.

To serve: Place the escalopes onto warmed plates with wedges of lemon to squeeze over.

Serve with salad on the side.