Veal Milanese is an easy recipe to prepare and great for a casual dinner. You may serve it hot out of the pan or at room temperature. Serve plain or topped with a small arugula salad. If you don’t want to use veal then by all means use chicken breasts.
Another Czech dish that I grew up eating was Veal Goulash. Perfect for these cold winter nights.
I grew up in a Czech community in Lincoln, Nebraska. While Wiener Schnitzel is a German dish my mother made this dish quite often. Chilling the breaded cutlets before frying is the secret to their perfectly crisp exterior and tender juicy interior. The best way to eat this dish is to squeeze lemon over all, then accompany every bite of cutlet with a thin slice of pickle.
Veal Two Ways
The USDA grades veal in six different categories; from highest to lowest they are Prime, Choice, Good, Standard, Utility, and Cull. The leg is the most desirable cut because it has solid, lean, firm-textured meat. Choose milk-fed veal with a creamy pink color. Free-range veal is redder and good for hearty dishes. Keep in the refrigerator for up to two days for ground, three days for chops or steaks, or four days for a roast. Veal that ground can be frozen for up to three months; other cuts can be frozen for up to nine months.
Veal is more perishable than beef, so buy it only for immediate use. You can tell the difference between veal (traditionally from a calf under three months old, but today from a calf that can be up to twenty-six weeks old) and baby beef (three to twelve months old) by the appearance. If the meat is creamy pink, it is veal. If the meat is creamy red, then it is baby beef. The deepening of color comes from the calf’s increased consumption of iron in its diet. Also look at the surrounding fat. The whiter and less yellow the fat, the younger the animal.
When pounding veal, use a steady, moderate stroke, starting at the center and moving outward.
Time estimate for roasting: Depending on the cut, about 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees for medium. The USDA recommends cooking all whole muscle cuts of veal to at least these internal temperatures to ensure that potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. Some people may choose to cook their meat to lower temperatures depending on preference.
Medium: 145 Degrees, Warm/Firm Texture, Pinkish Beige Center Color
Medium Well: 155 Degrees, Very Warm/Firm Texture, Beige Center Color
Well Done: 165 Degrees, Hot/Dense/Hard Texture, Beige Color
Best Cooking Methods For Veal
Scaloppini Cutlet (Leg): Grill, Roast, Sauté
Loin Chops (Loin): Broil, Grill, Pan-Fry, Sauté
Rib Chops (Loin): Braise, Broil, Roast, Pan-Fry
Boneless Leg Roast (Leg): Braise, Roast
Shoulder Roast (Shoulder): Braise, Roast, Stew
Tenderloin (Loin): Braise, Broil, Grill, Roast
Boneless Loin (Loin): Braise, Broil, Grill, Roast
Osso Bucco (Leg): Braise, Stew
Boneless Stew (Various): Sauté, Stew
Boneless Breast (Breast): Braise, Roast
Kabobs (Various): Broil, Grill, Sauté
Rib Roast (Loin): Braise, Broil, Grill
Pan Roasted Veal Chops With Gremolata
INGREDIENTS
5 Garlic Cloves
Zest of 2 Lemons
Juice of 2 Lemons
1/2 Cup Italian Parsley
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Diced Shallots
4 Thick Veal Chops
Puree garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, 3 tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauté pan over a medium heat. Add diced shallots and veal chops. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until target temperature. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes before serving topped with gremolata (garlic parsley mixture). Serves 4
Osso Bucco
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3 Veal Shanks (1 Pound Each)
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Carrot
1 Chopped Celery Stalk
1 Cup White Wine
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
3 Cups Chicken Stock
5 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Chopped Italian Parsley For Garnish
Lemon Zest For Garnish
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Dredge veal shanks in flour. Brown all sides, remove, set aside. In same pan, sauté onions, carrots, and celery until soft. Stir in white wine, tomato paste, chicken stock, rosemary thyme, and bay leaf. Add veal, cover and simmer over a low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes. Add more chicken stock if needed. Remove from heat and serve topped with chopped parsley and lemon zest. Serves 4
Grilled Veal Chops
I love a thick grilled veal chop. For many of us, veal is a special treat, because it tastes so good. Veal is one of the leanest meats to eat and has the highest amount of protein of all meats. Veal is an ideal protein compliment to health conscious eaters who don’t want to give up meat.
INGREDIENTS
4 Veal Chops (12 Ounces Each/1 Inch Thick)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
6 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
5 Crushed Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a medium size bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Arrange the veal chops in a glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chops and turn to coat. Let the chops marinate for 1 hour. Turn the chops over after 30 minutes so that both sides absorb the marinade. Prepare your barbecue to a medium high heat. Remove the chops from the marinade. Grill the chops for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare or until cooked to your desired doneness. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and serve with asparagus. Serves 4
Osso Buco
Osso Buco literally means “bone with a hole” and is Milanese specialty of veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. There are two types of osso buco, a modern version that has tomatoes and the original version which does not. The original version (osso buco in bianco) is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf and gremolata. The modern version includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Gremolita is optional. I am giving you the modern version.
INGREDIENTS
4 (12 Ounce) Veal Osso Buco
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Minced Carrot
1 Medium Minced Onion
1Celery Stalk
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Veal Stock or Chicken Stock
3 Medium Tomatoes (Peeled, Seeded & Chopped)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
GREMOLATA
½ Cup Minced Parsley
2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
In a heavy pot (with a lid) combine the butter and the oil in the pot and heat until hot, but NOT smoking. Add the veal and brown well on all sides over medium heat. Transfer the veal to a plate and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until just softened. Return the veal to the pot and add the white wine, the stock and the tomatoes. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Turn the meat occasionally and add a little additional stock to the pot if necessary. The osso buco is done with the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer the osso buco to a platter and keep warm. Prepare the gremolata by combining the parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata over the osso buco and serve on warm dinner plates. You can serve with saffron risotto, mashed potatoes or a spiral pasta. Serves 4
