Veal is found on many New Orleans menus, not just the Italian restaurants. Veal is the meat of calves as opposed to beef, which is from older cattle. Veal contains less fat than beef, so you can get your red meat fix without all of the fat. For the longest, it was hard to get veal in Searcy. Now, you can find it at local grocery stores..
The most popular veal dish is Veal Parmesan. This Italian dish can be made by taking Panné Veal, topping with Mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoned Tomato sauce and melting the cheese in the oven. Since many people already have a go to recipe for Veal or Chicken Parmesan, today I will share with you two quick but memorable veal recipes.
This traditional New Orleans dish is often requested around my house. It is a simple dish to prepare but don’t let the ease of preparation fool you. It is a delicious dish that lends itself to adding a sauce over it. You can top this with a Cream of Crawfish sauce or Shrimp Étouffée.
Panné Veal
8 3-once sliced Veal 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning 2 Eggs, beaten 3/4 cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated Olive Oil Fresh Parsley, chopped
Pound the veal with a meat tenderizer between two pieces of plastic wrap until each piece is doubled in size. In a large shallow platter, mix the flour and Creole Seasoning together. In another platter, mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together. Lightly dust the veal in the flour. Dip the veal in the egg, shaking off the excess. Dredge the veal through the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off the excess. Heat about 1/2-inch of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. To check to see if the oil is ready, throw in a pinch of the breadcrumbs. If it starts to fry quickly, you are ready to cook. Cook the veal, not crowding the pan, for about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Garnish with parsley when serving.
This classic dish is found on the menu in most Italian restaurants. Marsala wine is produced around the city of Marsala on the Italian island of Sicily. The sauce is made by reducing the wine to almost a syrupy consistency and adding mushrooms. Some recipes add heavy cream but I usually don’t. You can also use this sauce with other meats. Chicken Marsala is very popular and locally you can find a Ribeye Marsala.
Veal Marsala
2 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 pound Veal Medallions, pounded thin 1 cup All-Purpose Flour Creole Seasoning to taste 1 large Shallot, minced 1 pound fresh Mushrooms, sliced 1 cup Dry Marsala Wine 1 clove Garlic, minced 2 cups Chicken Stock 1 cup Beef Stock 2 tablespoons Butter
Preheat oven to 200℉.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the veal medallions with flour, and season with Creole seasoning. Cook in the heated skillet about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, place in a baking dish covered with foil, and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallots and mushrooms, scrapping up any browned bits, until the shallots are tender. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the Marsala and garlic. Cook and stir until thickened. Mix the stocks into the skillet, and continue to cook and stir until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter until melted. Serve over the veal.
Both recipes can be made with chicken in place of the veal. While either dish made with chicken will be delightful, veal brings these recipes to a different level.
