Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [266]
Note: Do not trim off the outer layer of fat as you do for veal chops. This outer layer will protect the meat in the oven.
Variations: For a French taste, substitute 3 parsley sprigs and 3 tarragon sprigs for the rosemary and thyme.
For a deeper Italian taste, keep the rosemary and substitute 3 oregano sprigs for the thyme.
Or keep the thyme and substitute about a dozen chives for the rosemary.
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Cooking Veal
Veal should be cooked to a pink, warm center—a little higher in temperature than medium-rare for beef. In no circumstance should it be cooked to higher temperatures; it will dry out and become tasteless. That said, the internal temperatures are higher for veal than beef. At 120°F, veal would be raw, not rare.
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Veal Scaloppine, Five Ways
Scaloppine are generally sliced from the round. They are usually pounded thin by the butcher—between 1/8 and ¼ inch thick. If yours are more than ¼ inch thick, place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them thinner with the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a saucepan. These easy preparations all begin with lightly sautéing the scaloppine, then making a simple sauce. Do not overcook or they will turn leathery. Makes 4 light servings (can be doubled)
1 pound thin veal scaloppine (see headnote)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
One of the five sauce preparations that follow
Season the veal strips with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a large plate.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet or high-sided sauté pan set over medium heat.
Dip the strips in the flour, coating both sides. Shake off any excess and slip into the pan, working in batches if need be. If you can’t fit all the scaloppine in the pan at once, use only half the butter and oil for the first batch, then use the rest for the second batch. Cook until very lightly browned, turning once, about 4 minutes.
Transfer to a large clean plate, tent with aluminum foil, and set aside while you make one of the following sauces in the same pan you used for the veal.
1. Peppers and Pancetta
4 ounces pancetta, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4 Italian frying peppers or cubanelles, seeded and thinly sliced, or 2 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
Add the pancetta to the skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the onion; cook, stirring all the while, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add the peppers, garlic, and fennel seeds; cook for 1 minute to soften.
Pour in the vinegar and bring to a full simmer; cook until the vinegar has been reduced to a glaze, scraping up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom.
Pour in the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Slip the scaloppine back into the pan along with any accumulated juices on the plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until rewarmed, about 1 minute.
2. Lemon, Garlic, and Artichoke Hearts
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
6 to 8 canned artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, slivered
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup chicken broth
Add the shallots to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute.
Add the artichoke hearts and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the lemon zest and capers, cook for 20 seconds, then pour in the lemon juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Cook, stirring once or twice, until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.