Hunter's schnitzel and spaetzle with lemon and thyme

Ingredients:

Chops

• 4 veal shoulder chops (about 1.3 kg)

Breading

• 1 cup flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp. simple breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried sage
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 tsp chili powder
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Gravy

• 2 carrots, grated
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3-4 fresh sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and lightly chopped
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1.5 cups red wine, merlot or cabernet
• 2.5 cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 200 g of champignons, thinly sliced
• 200 g of chopped wild mushroom mix
• 2 tbsp. premium flour

Spätzle

• 0.5 tsp ground mustard
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 18-20 fresh sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and lightly chopped (about 2 tbsp)
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for texture

Frying

• 2 strips bacon, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Chops:
   
   Using a rolling pin, roll out the chops until they are just under 1 cm thick. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Breading:
   
   Line up three large bowls or plates, with the last one closest to the stove. Place the plate next to the last bowl. Add flour to the first bowl. In the second bowl, beat the eggs with a little water. In the last bowl, add breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried sage, cardamom, paprika, salt, black pepper, chili pepper, and lemon zest. Mix with a fork.
3. Take each chop and coat it in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it in the egg, then roll it in the breadcrumbs, making sure the chops are completely coated. Transfer it to a plate and let it rest.
4. In a large skillet, add enough oil to coat the bottom. Fry the chops over medium-high heat until golden brown, 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside. To keep warm, cover loosely with foil (or, uncovered, place in a preheated oven at 150°F (65°C).
5. Base for gravy:
   
   Heat the same skillet over medium heat, adding more oil if needed. Add the carrots, celery, half the onion, thyme, bay leaf, a pinch of salt, and a couple of turns of the black peppercorns. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat and add the wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. When the wine has reduced by about half, add the beef broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
6. Mushroom gravy:
   
   Wipe the skillet dry with paper towels. Add the butter and melt over medium heat (it shouldn't brown). If the heat is too high, reduce it. Then add the remaining chopped onion, mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and a couple of turns of the black peppercorn grinder. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, for a few more minutes, until the vegetables have absorbed the flour. Return the gravy base to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Serve over the schnitzel and spaetzle.
7. Dough:
   
   In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, thyme, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Gradually add the flour to form a thick, sticky dough. Add more flour, spoonful at a time, until you reach the desired consistency (the dough shouldn't be runny, but should easily pass through a colander).
8. Spätzle:
   
   Fill a saucepan halfway with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and place a colander over it. Add spoonfuls of batter to the colander and push them into the boiling water with a spatula. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the colander between batches and stir the spaetzle in the water to prevent the next batch of batter from sticking to the previous one.
9. The spaetzle are ready when they float to the surface. Place them in a fine-mesh sieve to remove as much water as possible (shake!), otherwise there will be a lot of splatter when frying.
10. Fry the spaetzle in a frying pan:
    
    Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Add the butter to the remaining rendered fat in the skillet and let it melt.
11. Next, add the spaetzle to the pan. Cook until golden brown, then stir and cook until the spaetzle are almost completely golden but still tender, 2-4 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan and stir. Sprinkle with lemon juice, taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.