What is Veal Scallopini? Scallopini is a style of cutting into a very thin cutlet. This allows the food to cook rapidly while maintaining tenderness. It is effective with less fatty meats or tougher meats or vegetables, which if cooked thick like steaks, would be tough. Veal is meat from calves – a year old or less – and is usually males from dairy cattle.
In the past there was much concern over the humane treatment of the veal calves, but in modern times these concerns are increasingly being addressed. Now, many producers of veal are committed to animal friendly housing and humane treatment of their animals. The calves feed on a combination of milk and nutrient rich grains free of antibiotics. New facilities in America sometimes surpass strict European humanely raised standards. While the old veal was white and bland, the new veal is pink and flavorful.
According to website Organic: Love to Know, “A good way to tell if veal is humanely raised is simply by looking at it. If it’s pink, that most likely means the calf had an adequate supply of iron.” They conclude that this pink veal is sometimes called Meadow, Rose, Pastured, Free-range, and Grass-Fed. The N.Y. Times adds that you should look for the label “certified humane.”
These “Certified Humane” calves are now given abundant space free from harsh weather and given good, dry bedding. Furthermore, calves are kept in small groups with others of similar size and age, allowing each to receive the full care from the veterinarian or the farmer.
Now there's no reason not to sample and savor this nutritious and classic Italian dish. In many ways, it's the new, humane meat.
Classic Italian Veal Scallopini
Ingredients
- 3 lb. Veal steak cut in 2 inch long, 1 inch wide strips
- ¾ cups Flour
- 2 tsp. Salt
- 2 ½ tsp. Paprika
- 1 ½ tsp. fresh ground Pepper
- 8 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 cup Water
- 1 ½ pint Sour Cream
- 1 ½ tsp. Basil
- 1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice
- ½ cup Marsala wine
- 2 ½ Tbsp. Cornstarch
- 1 can whole Mushroom or dried Apricots, chopped
Directions
- Ask butcher for 3 lb. Veal steak cut ¼ inch thick. Remove fat, pound flat, and cut in 2 inch by 1 inch strips.
- Mix ¾ cup Flour, 2 tsp. Salt, 2 ½ tsp. Paprika, and 1 ½ tsp. fresh ground Pepper.
- Dredge each veal strip into flour mixture so both sides are covered.
- Brown in 8 Tbsp. Garlic seasoned with one clove garlic, chopped. Remove from pan.
- Deglaze pan with ¾ cup of Water, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any bits.
- Add 1 ½ pint Sour Cream and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Season with 1 ½ tsp. Sweet Basil, 1 ½ tsp. Lemon Juice, ¼ tsp. Rosemary, and ½ cup Marsala wine.
- Let mixture come to a boil. Thicken with a slurry of 2 ½ Tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup Water.
- Arrange Veal in casserole. Pour liquid mixture over all. Sprinkle on top 1 can whole Mushrooms or dried Apricots, roughly chopped.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.
Christopher T. Reilly - Hello. I have been a professional writer for 25 years with experience that encompasses articles, essays, websites, Internet content, stage ...
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