Decadent Summer Dinner Party
For weeks we’ve been raving about the coffee, the pastries, the cheese and the wiener schnitzel—and now it’s time to bring a taste of Vienna home. Originating in the countryside and perfected in the imperial kitchen, Viennese cuisine is both sophisticated and comforting, drawing influences from French, Italian and Hungarian cooking. For your next dinner party, why not transport your friends and family to a balcony overlooking the Ringstrasse? Our curated menu features all the classic favorites, with fabulous recipes for every course. Enjoy!
8 fresh, large sage leaves
12 fresh, large lemon balm leaves
5 fresh, large peppermint leaves
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
Ice cubes
Some additional herbs and/or organic slices of lemon for serving
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 big pinches of salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted & crushed
2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onion
1 tablespoon chopped pickles
A few dozen thin crostini or crackers
One bunch of chopped chives, to serve
You can make crostini simply by tossing pieces of bite-sized, thinly sliced bread with a couple glugs of olive oil and the placing them on a baking sheet in a 350F/180C oven until deeply toasted. Cool and store in an airtight jar until ready to use.
1 cup (240 ml) warm milk
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons (5 grams) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups + 3 tablespoons (310 g) bread flour (all-purpose is ok too), plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon fine salt
Soda bath option: 4 cups (or 1 liter) water + 1/4 cup (60 g) baking soda OR
Brushing option: 1/4 cup (60 ml) water + 1 teaspoon baking soda
Finish
For brushing: 1 egg (yolk only is even better), beaten with 1½ teaspoons milk
For sprinkling: sesame seeds or coarse salt (see note)
Combine milk and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast to milk-sugar mixture and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. With a sturdy spoon, stir in butter, then 1/2 of the flour, and salt. Mix it thoroughly, and then add the remaining flour. Mix the ingredients until they come together to a sticky dough.
With floured or greased hands, try to fold the edges of the dough into the center a couple of times. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 more tablespoon (not more) flour, mix it into the dough and try again. If still too sticky, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. After that, the dough is workable.
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead until smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes. The dough should still be moist and a little sticky. Oil a clean mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Let it rise covered for 1 hour, or until almost doubled in bulk.
Bites
Transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface, and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each of them into an 18-inch (45 cm) rope. This usually works best without any flour – sometimes even slightly moistened hands help. Cut each rope crosswise into 11 pieces. Roll each piece back and forth, in case the bites have deformed due to cutting.
Option 1: Baking soda bath (has a slightly more intense “pretzel”-taste but is a little bit more time- and work-consuming).
Transfer the pretzel bites onto one large or two smaller generously floured baking sheets lined with wax paper, giving each room to grow. Let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes until they have puffed up noticeably.
Put them in the fridge for 1 hour or pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes to get them firm so they hold their shape in the soda bath.
Prepare two sheets of parchment paper that will fit your baking sheets. If not using parchment paper do not use aluminum baking sheets.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bring 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan to a boil and carefully add the baking soda (it will foam up), liking.
Remove the bites from the fridge, transfer the wax paper from the sheet to the counter, and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the saucepan from heat and poach the bites for 20 seconds in solution (gently dip them under the water with a spoon after 10 seconds). Do this in batches, each about 10-15 bites.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to the prepared parchment-paper lined baking sheets (I need two sheets) with enough space in between them. Immediately sprinkle them with salt or sesame – they only stick while the dough is moist – unless you brush them with egg wash (see next step). Continue until all pretzels are poached. If you want your pretzel bites glossy, brush the bites with egg wash after you have poached all of them and sprinkle with sesame or salt. Place the baking sheets into the oven and bake until the bites are golden brown (about 12-15 minutes).
Option 2: Brushing with baking soda wash
Transfer the pretzel bites onto one large or two smaller baking sheets lined with parchment paper, giving each room to grow. Let them rest at warm room temperature for 30 minutes until they have puffed up noticeably. You don’t have to put them into the fridge.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Heat 1/4 cup of water – I usually heat it in a small bowl in the microwave until boiling – and then carefully add 1 teaspoon of baking soda (it will foam up), stir to dissolve. Thoroughly brush bites with soda wash. When you are finished brushing all of them, start from the beginning and brush them a second time.
Immediately sprinkle them with salt or sesame – they only stick while the dough is wet – unless you brush them with egg wash. If you want your pretzel bites glossy, brush the bites with egg wash after you have brushed all of them two times with soda wash, and sprinkle with sesame or salt. I usually finish one baking sheet, put it into the oven and in the meantime I prepare the second sheet. Place the baking sheet into the 400 °F preheated oven and bake until the bites are golden brown (about 12-15 minutes). Let the pretzel bites cool for a few minutes and serve them warm with your favorite dip (I love them with cheese-dip).
1 tablespoon (10 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (120 ml) milk plus up to 2 tablespoons (30 ml) additional
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon fine salt and cayenne pepper, or to taste
½ large onion, thinly sliced
¾ cup chopped fresh dill
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Add the white vinegar, olive oil, and sugar. Mix well to combine. Season with salt.
Keeps well in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
1 medium yellow onion, diced finely (1 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or mellow apple vinegar
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
5 ½ tablespoons sunflower oil (substitute neutral-tasting oil)
1 teaspoon table salt
Chopped, flat parsley for garnish
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat, add diced onion and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Deglaze onion with vinegar, add soup and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it cook over low medium heat for 2 minutes.
Potato salad is consumed either warm (after the 30 minute resting time) or chilled (for longer resting times).Before serving, give the salad a stir, taste it, add little salt if necessary and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
⅔ cups + 3 tablespoons water (200 ml)
2 cups all purpose flour (250 g / 8 ¾ oz)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (14 g)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)
1 cup grated, strongly flavored cheese such as Swiss (Emmental) or Gruyère (100 g / 3 ½ oz)
Heat oil and butter together in a big pan, add the sliced onion and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until onions turn golden brown, stirring often. Set aside. In case there is any oil/butter left in the pan, leave it. Unless there are black particles from frying the onion, in that case, discard it.
Cook the spaetzle for an additional 2 minutes until they all float on the surface, then drain. Put spaetzle into the pan where you cooked the onions. If there is no butter/oil left, add 1 teaspoon butter. Heat butter, and when melted, add spaetzle and cheese. Stir over medium heat until cheese has melted. Scatter the caramelized onion over the spaetzle and serve.
250 g (8.9 oz) dry white bread, cut in cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
50 g (1/3 cup) flour
250 ml (1 cup) milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 stems of flat parsley, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
olive oil
300 g (10.7 oz) mushrooms (champignons)
100 g (3.5 oz) king trumpet (kraeuterseitlinge)
50 g (1.7 oz) shiitake mushrooms
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flour
50 ml (1/4 cup) white wine
100 ml (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) heavy cream
1 tablespoon flat parsley, chopped
Salt
Fresh-ground white pepper
Olive oil
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Heat olive oil in a medium pan, add the onions and stir until they get soft and golden. Add the onions to the bread cubes. Now do the same with the parsley. Then gently heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t let it boil!
Mix in the beaten egg and pour both over the bread mixture. Add the salt and the flour and knead it by hand until everything is mixed. If the mixture is too moist, add some flour; if it’s too dry, add some liquid. Form seven small knoedel, put them in salted cooking water and let them simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp kitchen towel. Never wash the mushrooms; they get soaked with water and lose flavor. Cut them into slices.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped onions and gently fry over heat until they get soft. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Be sure that all mushroom slices have contact with the pan bottom. Otherwise liquid escapes, and the mushrooms get more cooked than fried.
Dust the mushrooms with flour, pour in the white wine and bring all to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
½ cup fine bread crumbs
3 eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Heat oil to medium-high in large skillet. Set aside a sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil from frying.
3 pounds boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 T vegetable oil
4 medium onions (about 1 ½ pounds), chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet)
1 ½ tsp. caraway seeds
¼ c. red-wine vinegar
¼ c. tomato paste
5 c. beef broth
1 to 5 cups water (use the former to make a stew, the latter to make a soup)
1 teaspoon salt
2 red bell peppers, chopped fine
Reduce heat to moderate and add oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, whisking, 1 minute.
Season soup with salt and pepper. Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Reheat soup, thinning with water if desired. Serve over egg noodles, potatoes or gnocci. (Or go all-out Austrian and make some spaetzle!) Serves 12.
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3 ounces butter
4 egg yolks
1 ounce sugar, plus 3 ounces
5 egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup flour, sifted
1 ½ cups apricot preserves
1 tablespoon apricot brandy
Glaze
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1 ounce butter
2 ounces heavy cream
Schlagobers, or whipped cream
In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. In a mixer, using a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks with 1 ounce sugar until light and ribbony. Beat in the chocolate mixture.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 3 ounces of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Fold in the flour and then fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites, gently but thoroughly. Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until done. To check for doneness, insert a paring knife in center of cake.
To make the apricot filling: puree the apricot preserves. Stir in brandy.
Slice the cake into 3 equal layers. Spread half of the apricot filling on the bottom layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the remaining apricot filling and top with the last layer of cake. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
To make the glaze: in a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Melt over a double-boiler. Bring the cream to a boil. Stir into the melted chocolate. Cool until it reaches glazing consistency. Spread over and around the cake. Chill for another 30 minutes before serving. Serve a slice with Schlagobers or whipped cream.
25g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
100g milk chocolate, chopped
Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle and pipe 10cm-long fingers onto the prepared baking tray. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until pale golden.
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup hot water
4 scoops vanilla or coffee ice cream
Unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti
Short straws, for serving