IF YOU WANT A RECIPE for something – anything – the Internet will likely have it in hundreds of variations. Food bloggers are fighting for foothold in a space that values visual appeal, interaction, reliable (tested) recipes and authenticity.
Milwaukeean Erin Clarke folds all of that together into her “Well Plated by Erin” lexicon, which includes a 12-year-old food blog, a social media portfolio where she posts multiple recipes daily, and two cookbooks.
Her approach has always been easy, budget-friendly recipes for healthy but delicious food. In her videos, the Wichita, Kansas, native comes off as warm and relatable – Midwestern charm, food edition.
From her brand-new cookbook, Well Plated Every Day, she shares a recipe that feels right at home in this Germanic city. Clarke sums it up in her unaffected, homey way: “There’s nothing super fancy about it at all, but, gosh, it hits the spot.”
– Ann Christenson
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Crispy Chicken Schnitzel With Caramelized Cabbage
With a heritage that is a potpourri of western European, I lean into whichever lineage is most relevant to the holiday at hand, which means that come Oktoberfest, I take tremendous pride in my Germanic roots.
In addition to frequenting Milwaukee’s many beer gardens (all in the name of doing my ancestors proud, of course!), I cook up this crispy-outside, juicy-inside chicken schnitzel. This is simple comfort food at its best. To round out the meal, pop a pan of humble cabbage into the oven. What emerges is lightly charred, caramelized, and so delicious, you might forget it’s a vegetable.
– Erin Clarke
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4
For the Cabbage
- 1 small head savoy cabbage or
green cabbage - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Chicken
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1¼ pounds; see Pro Tip)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a few
additional pinches - ¾ cup white whole wheat flour or
all-purpose flour - 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups panko bread crumbs
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided, plus additional as needed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1. Prepare the cabbage: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 450°F. Cut the cabbage into eight wedges: First, cut it in half lengthwise through the stem. Then lay each half flat on the cutting board and slice in half lengthwise. Finally, halve each quarter lengthwise. For easy cleanup, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cabbage in a single layer on top and brush with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Flip the cabbage over.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the honey. Brush liberally over the tops and sides of the cabbage, then drizzle any remaining over the tops. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast the cabbage for 20 minutes, then flip with a spatula and continue roasting until the cabbage is tender and the edges are dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Don’t worry if some of the edge pieces are super dark; they’re the yummiest parts. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 250°F.
To make the chicken easier to split into cutlets, place in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cutting.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken: Split each chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thin cutlets. As you cut, carefully lay your hand on top and feel to make sure you are splitting it fairly evenly. Working one at a time, place a cutlet in a large zip-top bag or cover with plastic wrap. With a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the base of a skillet, lightly pound out the chicken until it is super thin – about ⅛ inch. Proceed slowly and gently to ensure you do not tear the meat. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt.
4. Set up your dredging stations: In a wide, shallow dish (a pie dish works well), place the flour. Beat the eggs in a second shallow dish, then combine the bread crumbs and cayenne in a third. With tongs, grab one end of a chicken cutlet and dip the cutlet in the flour, then the eggs, then the bread crumbs, coating both sides and shaking off any excess as you go. Dip just one cutlet at a time and handle the meat as little as possible to keep it tender. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and keep it near the stove. Return the cabbage to the oven to keep it warm.
5. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and swirl it to melt. Working away from yourself, carefully lower two cutlets into the skillet, ensuring that they have some space between them (if the pan is crowded, cook them one at a time or they will be more dense). Cook on the first side until golden, about 3 minutes, then add another 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Flip and cook on the other side until it is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with a pinch of additional salt, and place in the oven to keep warm.
6. Add another 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet. Repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter just before flipping. Serve with the caramelized cabbage and lemon wedges. Squeeze the lemon all over the chicken and cabbage, and season with additional salt to taste.
Excerpted from Well Plated Every Day. Copyright © 2024 by Erin Clarke. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.
