Crumbs!

CRUMBED VEAL CUTLETS WITH LEMON AIOLI

4 veal cutlets (about 220g each)

2 stale ciabatta rolls, cut into rough cubes

1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

1 sprig oregano, leaves picked

1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain flour

1 egg, whisked with 1/2 cup milk

80ml olive oil

40g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

40g parmesan, finely grated

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Lemon aioli

1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, finely crushed

juice of 1/2 lemon

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Serves 4

To make aioli, whisk mayonnaise together with crushed garlic and lemon juice and season to taste. Set aside.

Place veal cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten to 1cm thick with a meat mallet.

In a food processor, combine the bread, parsley, oregano and rosemary with a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Pulse numerous times to a fine crumb.

Place crumbs, flour and whisked egg wash in separate bowls. Dust veal cutlets in flour, then dip in egg wash and coat with breadcrumbs. Shake off excess and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook cutlets in batches, turning once only, until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets, cleaning out the pan after each turn so as not to burn the leftover crumbs.

Sprinkle cutlets with the parmesan while hot, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and aioli.

ITALIAN APPLE CAKE WITH GRAND MARNIER MASCARPONE

3 medium-size sweet red apples

10-20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

150g soft unsalted butter

150g caster sugar, plus 25g extra

5ml vanilla extract

finely grated rind of 1 orange

4 eggs

200g plain flour

5g baking powder

pinch of fine salt

60ml milk

20ml Grand Marnier

ground cinnamon, for dusting

Grand Marnier mascarpone

180g mascarpone

40ml double cream

15g caster sugar

10ml Grand Marnier

Serves 10

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 22cm round cake pan; line the base and sides of pan with double thickness of baking paper to extend 2cm above the side of pan.

Peel and core apples and cut each apple into 16 slices. Toss apple slices in lemon juice to prevent browning.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla extract and orange rind until light and creamy. Add eggs separately, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to butter mixture and stir well. Add milk, liqueur and remaining flour mixture, and mix until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into prepared cake tin. Combine extra sugar and cinnamon and toss with apple slices to give a light coating. Overlap apple slices in a concentric circle over top of batter.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until cooked when tested with skewer. Stand in tin 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool.

To make Grand Marnier mascarpone, combine all ingredients and whisk gently until well combined and soft peaks form. Serve alongside apple cake with a sweet dessert wine.

HOT TIPS

• If you like, you can buy the breadcrumbs and aioli and this becomes a very simple recipe indeed.

• Lamb is a nice substitute, as is veal scallopine (although it will cook quicker). This crumb mixture can also be used for chicken, pork or sliced eggplant.

• The apple cake can be made with pear or quince if desired.

• When whisking the Grand Marnier mascarpone, be careful not to overdo it, or the mixture will split and curdle.

SOMETHING TO DRINK

Grüner Veltliner
Considered one of the most versatile grape varieties in the world, grüner veltliner hails from Austria's north-east. The 2011 Domäne Wachau Terrassen Federspiel Grüner Veltliner ($23) has been picked a little later, creating a line of fresh acid that cuts through the richness of the veal cutlets and highlights the interplay of the herbs and aioli.

Photography William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation Kirsten Jenkins.