Chicken Schnitzel with Truffle Crisp Crust, Vegetable Purée & Dill Sauce

Nothing beats a comforting, crunchy schnitzel. But perhaps this version is levelling things up to the max, using Rootstock’s hand-made Summer Truffle Crisps in the crust, served in a silky bed of cauliflower purée and a drizzle of creamy dill sauce. The perfect wine partner? Radford Dale’s organic Touchstone Chardonnay, of course, where the elegant minerality imparted from cool-climate Bokkeveld Shale soils cuts through the richness of it all. 

Ingredients: (serves 4)

For the vegetable purée:

1 medium-large head of cauliflower, cut into chunks (or substitute with a mixture of parsnip and celeriac, peeled and cut into cubes - about 2 cups of each)

1 cup fresh cream

salt, to taste

a pinch of ground white pepper (optional)

¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese (optional)

For the dill sauce:

30 ml butter

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup fresh cream

zest of a lemon, finely grated

a handful chopped dill, plus extra to serve

salt & pepper, to taste

For the schnitzels:

100 g Rootstock Summer Truffle Potato Crisps

1,5 cups panko crumbs

½ cup cake flour

salt and pepper, to taste

3 eggs, whisked

4 large free range chicken breasts

3-4 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying

Method:

For the purée: In a medium pot over medium heat, add the cauliflower, cream and season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then cook partly covered with a lid over low heat until just tender (take care or it will boil over). Transfer the solids and half of the liquid to a blender and purée until very smooth - add more liquid from the pot to adjust consistency if needed. Add the pepper and parmesan and blend well. Set aside.

For the sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the shallot and fry until soft and fragrant. Add the flour and stir for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock and cream. Use a whisk to stir and cook until thickened and smooth, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the zest, dill and season lightly with salt & pepper. Stir and set aside.

For the schnitzels: Place the crisps in a food processor or blender and pulse to create coarse crumbs. Transfer to a wide bowl, then add the panko crumbs and stir to mix. Set aside as part of your prep station. In another wide bowl, add the flour and season with salt & pepper, the set aside. In another wide bowl, add the whisked egg and set aside. Prep the chicken breasts by placing each between two sheets of plastic wrap, then use a rolling pin or kitchen hammer to pound to a thickness of 1 cm each. The fillets will now be very wide - trim into smaller pieces if needed.

Prepare a work station with your fillets, seasoned flour, whisked egg and crumb mixture. Dip each prepped chicken portion into the seasoned flour, then into the egg mixture, then into the crumbs to coat all over. Pat to remove any excess crumbs then set aside. Do the same with all the chicken. Now heat the oil in a wide frying pan and fry batches of schnitzels on both sides until just cooked on the inside and golden brown on the outside.

Remove and briefly drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with warm vegetable purée and a drizzle of sauce, scattered with fresh dill.