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Erdélyi fatányéros
Fatányéros: Transylvanian mixed grill of pork, veal and bacon on a wooden platter with potatoes
The name means 'wooden plate', and that is how this Transylvanian-Hungarian feast is brought to the table in Cluj and Târgu Mureș restaurants: a big board heaped with fried potatoes and topped with grilled pork chops, veal escalopes and crisp smoked bacon, surrounded by pickled cucumbers, peppers and red cabbage. It is meant for sharing, two or four people picking from one board, and it smells of garlic, marjoram and smoke. The pork and bacon make this very much a pork dish, balanced by the sharp pickles. Where people most often go wrong is grilling everything at once; cook the bacon first and use its fat for the meat, so nothing dries out while waiting. Chef's tip: score the edge of each pork chop through the fat every 2 cm; it stops the chops curling up in the pan and cooking unevenly.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the meat
- 4 boneless pork loin or neck chopsabout 150 g each, 2 cm thick
- 4 veal escalopesabout 120 g each
- 8 smoked bacon (slănină afumată) slicesthick-cut
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
For the potatoes
- 2 lb waxy potatoespeeled and cut into thick slices
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 onionsliced into rings
To serve
- ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix the 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried marjoram, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp of the 2 tbsp sunflower oil. Snip the fat edges of the 4 boneless pork loin or neck chops every 2 cm and rub the paste over the chops and 4 veal escalopes. Cover and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile boil the 2 lb waxy potatoes in salted water for 8 minutes, until just tender at the edges, then drain and steam dry.
10 minStep 3: Heat the 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the potatoes for 15 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp. Add the 1 onion for the last 5 minutes, season with 1 tsp salt and keep warm in a low oven.
15 minStep 4: In a heavy griddle or frying pan over a medium heat, fry the 8 smoked bacon (slănină afumată) slices for 4–5 minutes, turning, until crisp and the fat has run. Lift out and keep warm.
5 minStep 5: Season the meat with the 1 ½ tsp salt. Add the remaining 1 tbsp sunflower oil to the bacon fat, raise the heat and cook the pork chops for 4–5 minutes on each side, until browned and a thermometer in the centre reads 145°F. Rest them for at least 3 minutes.
10 minStep 6: Cook the veal for 2 minutes on each side, until browned and just firm; a thermometer reads about 145°F for medium, 158°F for well done.
4 minStep 7: Pile the potatoes on a large wooden board, lay the pork, veal and bacon on top, arrange the 14 oz mixed pickles: cucumbers, peppers, red cabbage around the edge and scatter with ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley. Serve at once.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does erdélyi fatányéros take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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