Dinner,  Veal

Veal Scaloppine Marsala

February 17, 2012

Many who follow along with my blog know that I created this as a means to share my recipes with my daughter.  She follows hundreds of fashion blogs so I knew this was the way I could “fit” into her world of social networking.  It began with a simple request for homemade hummus and vinaigrette and grew into recipes she missed from home.  As I continued to add in family recipes I wanted to make sure she had the “classics”. 

The classic dishes I’m referring to are my personal list of basic dishes that I know I can always fall back on in a moment’s notice and create a delicious dinner.  These are the dishes that I notice so many people order out in Italian restaurants; ala Francese, Piccata, or Marsala!   Made just right, they are tender and flavorful dishes.  Each one is perfect for a comforting week night dinner or impressive for entertaining guests.  Doubled and tripled these are great party entrées as well.

I’ve already posted my Chicken Piccata and Chicken Francese recipe (ugh,I must replace that awful pic!) and now my Veal Scaloppini Marsala recipe.  There really are a lot of variations to the recipe.  Sometimes broth is added to the Marsala sauce, which I will do when I’m preparing for larger quantities, but when making it just for a small group, I like using dry Marsala only. 

My daughter loves mushrooms and for many years I’ve had to avoid them as way back in my 20’s I was allergic to them.  Did you notice “was”???  I am really happy to find that I’ve been adding in mushrooms lately and finding no reaction!  I’ve heard people will grow out of some allergies; guess that’s one good thing about the years passing! 

Also, the choice of meat can vary, which is another reason I love these dishes.  Instead of veal, pork or chicken cutlets work beautifully.  Whatever is used, the meat should be pounded to about ¼ inch thick.  For veal I like to ask the butcher to slice it thinly across the grain (which they should know!)  But if it is sliced incorrectly, the veal will curl and bubble as the muscles/grains tighten and your veal will not be fork tender!! 

Veal Scaloppini Marsala

Serves 4

8 veal scaloppini or thin sliced cutlets (I like to present 2 scaloppini with each serving as they are so thin; however use your judgment as to the size and serving amount)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 – 8 0z mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

1 scallion thinly sliced (optional)

½ cup dry Marsala (Marsala wine is sold either sweet or dry; I prefer to use dry)

Between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the slices to about ¼ inch thick.  On a sheet of wax paper or using a pie plate, mix the salt and pepper into the flour and set aside.

Heat a large skillet with ½ of the butter and oil.  Add in the mushrooms and scallion if using and cook about 10 minutes until soft and lightly browned.  Transfer to plate and set aside.  Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter and oil to the pan and return to medium high heat.  Dip the veal into the flour on both sides and place in skillet.  Do not crowd the veal in the skillet, cook in batches if necessary.  Saute for 1 minute on each side until just lightly browned; remove to plate with mushroom. 

Pour in the Marsala wine allowing it to simmer into a rich sauce.  Add in the mushrooms and veal simmering until heated.  If the sauce is too thick add in additional Marsala.  For an additional touch of richness and shine, add in an additional pat of butter.  Serve immediately.

I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.

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60 Comments

  • Kristy
    February 17, 2012 at 9:20 am Reply

    I’m so glad you posted the tip on how the veal should be cut. I’m going to remember that! This looks fabulous Linda. I for one am happy you decided to start this blog for your daughter. You’ve provided us with so many delicious treats. And what great news about not being allergic to mushrooms anymore! I just love mushrooms. I too outgrew a childhood allergy. You’re right, getting older isn’t so bad. 😉

  • Lisa {Smart Food and Fit}
    February 17, 2012 at 9:50 am Reply

    I love this recipe but have shied away from veal for personal reasons. I love the mushroom sauce.Glad that you outgrew your mushroom allergies too. Looks like I’m going to have to make a mushroom reicipe soon, that’s all I’ve been seing this morning catching up reading other food blogger’s posts.
    Thanks for the food science tip on cutting against the grain. Have a great weekend Linda! 🙂

  • Judy
    February 17, 2012 at 9:58 am Reply

    I’m with you, I prefer dry over sweet Marsala wine — sweet sauce is a definite turn-off for me. I love how quickly this dish comes together, can’t wait to try your recipe. I’m sure your daughter appreciates you passing along great food.

  • Bam's Kitchen
    February 17, 2012 at 10:12 am Reply

    This dish looks like it would melt in your mouth. I can’t get my teenagers to be friends with me on facebook but they both follow mom’s cooking website. I guess they don’t want to miss whats for dinner… Take care, BAM

  • ChgoJohn
    February 17, 2012 at 11:00 am Reply

    That picture looks so tantalizing, Linda! I’ve not had veal marsala in ages and I’m so glad you posted this recipe. This is one of those that I found in Mom’s notebook that is nothing more than a title and a couple ingredients. Now, I can make it and say it’s from the Florida branch of the family. I can’t thank you enough. 🙂

    • spicegirlfla
      February 20, 2012 at 3:25 pm Reply

      So funny how our mom’s kept their recipes!! Mine too had this with very few notes and just these few ingredients. I know I’ve seen recipes with other ingredients added, but I like to keep it really simple as she did. I’m proud to be a branch on your family tree!!

  • bitsandbreadcrumbs
    February 17, 2012 at 11:15 am Reply

    Your daughter is so lucky, Linda, to have such a thoughtful and loving mother! Chicken Marsala is one of my favorites and, like you mentioned, I’ve only had it in restaurants. I’m so excited to have this recipe so I can make it at home, and your veal marsala looks amazing so I know it tastes it, too! Great post and thank you. 🙂

  • gardenfreshtomatoes
    February 17, 2012 at 11:20 am Reply

    Hubby’s been ordering veal scallops from an online butcher (no good local place to buy them – sad face) to make a veal with morel cream sauce. We branched-out to a saltimboca a few months ago, and THIS gives me a third option – THANKS!
    By the way, I’m not entirely thrilled with my saltimboca recipe…do you have one that’s “for real?”

    • spicegirlfla
      February 20, 2012 at 3:30 pm Reply

      Mmmm…that cream sauce sounds delicious. I’ll have to see if you’ve posted that one! I have made saltimboca…and “for real” makes me smile! I guess I let you be the judge of that but it will be from my family’s though Italian recipes vary a bit throughout Italy. I’ll definitely add this to my list for a future post!!

  • sportsglutton
    February 17, 2012 at 12:06 pm Reply

    Hi Linda….I’m finally home and have the time to catch up with my friends in the blog-o-sphere.

    Seeing the veal topped with all those mushrooms looks like a perfect plate to me and I’m so happy to hear that you are able to enjoy mushrooms now. They’re oh so good. 🙂

    Hope you have been well and have a great weekend!

    • spicegirlfla
      February 20, 2012 at 3:32 pm Reply

      Glad to have you back! Just in day to day life it gets hard to keep in touch, then taking off time gets you really behind!! I think I’ll be going on a mushroom cooking marathon catching up on all these years of no mushrooms!!

  • Chica Andaluza
    February 17, 2012 at 12:15 pm Reply

    Wow – good news about the mushrooms! I love this recipe, haven´t eaten it for years but funnily enough found myself craving it the other day and thinking “I´ll have to use pork as I can´t get veal”…will have to try and find some though next time I go to a Big Town!!

  • Gian Banchero
    February 17, 2012 at 12:29 pm Reply

    Thanks for the recipe, and thanks for stipulating which type of Marsala to use, more often than not recipes don’t state whether sweet or dry is to be used which can ruin a recipe… In 1981 it was found that I was highly allergic to corn products and chicken so I had to go off them which was difficult because I grew up on polenta and being a native of California other than Italian my second cuisine was Mexican. In 2005 I read an article that stated that if one is away long enough from a food one is allergic to that an allergy can sometimes disappear, luckily I found corn products–which are in almost everything–no longer give me a rash. Though I can now eat chicken it is a once a week treat or else I get reactions to it.

    • spicegirlfla
      February 20, 2012 at 3:36 pm Reply

      Good for you!! and I did read something like that too, but I was always nervous to try it. Mushrooms weren’t so bad to avoid, but corn definitely would have been difficult. Glad to hear all is good!!

  • Caroline
    February 17, 2012 at 1:00 pm Reply

    Family recipes are really the best. I need to start copying ours from my mom’s cookbooks so I have them on hand. I have made a few on my blog though, and now my mom just goes there when she wants to make something, rather than rifling through pages and pages of recipes, ha! This meal sounds absolutely fabulous, Linda!!

  • Sissi
    February 17, 2012 at 3:48 pm Reply

    What a lovely typically home recipe! (Even though I have never had it at home – or anywhere actually – it has a kind of universal homely touch 🙂 I buy Marsala only for tiramisù so I would be happy to use it in a savoury dish too.

  • Liz
    February 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm Reply

    What a lovely way to share with your daughter…and maybe your son as well :)! And I, like others, am grateful you chose to share in a way that lets me in on the recipes as well.

    I have 2 engagement chickens in my oven as I type…one for my neighbors and one for me. My neighbors have a tractor. I have a driveway that is 175 yards long. We live in Montana. I LOVE to cook, they do not love to cook. It is a “match made in heaven” :)!

      • Liz
        February 22, 2012 at 11:50 am

        Not only were the chickens outstanding but I also have somewhere in the vicinity of 10 cups of wonderful, lightly lemon chicken broth in my freezer!

        Now to find Marsala!

  • ceciliag
    February 17, 2012 at 8:47 pm Reply

    fantastic, i love a dish i can work with! you know that is not too regimented, and i so understand getting the recipes out to your daughter.. I love that idea!! Love love honey.. c

  • Purely.. Kay
    February 17, 2012 at 11:48 pm Reply

    I must have lost my mind momentarily.. because I haven’t had veal in years! You helped me remember veal. I can’t believe I haven’t had it in so long. I gotta go get some tomorrow.. that’s it. I love this recipe

  • hotlyspiced
    February 18, 2012 at 4:05 am Reply

    I have an Italian friend and she cooks dishes like this with Masala all the time. I always love going there for dinner because you know you’re going to get an amazing, comforting, tasty meal. Great recipe Linda xx

  • Kathy
    February 18, 2012 at 9:03 am Reply

    Social media really has opened up the world…I also post recipes that my children have asked for. This dish looks wonderful! I make a chicken marsala but have never tried veal. Sounds delicious!

  • Kat_L
    February 18, 2012 at 11:01 am Reply

    Thank you Linda for sharing you family recipe to the networking mums. I enjoy cooking & due to work hours my stay at home hubby now rules the kitchen. However, I claim the weekends for a family treat. Well, the extended family comes over for visits, of course. I’m greatful I stop by ur blog & found these amazing treasures. This will be the meal I prepare for dinner tonight 🙂

    Kat-

  • thebigfatnoodle
    February 18, 2012 at 3:51 pm Reply

    Great recipe! I’m kicking myself because I keep telling myself I need to buy a bottle of marsala but always forget when I’m out shopping. That’s it! It’s going on the shopping list asap as I’m heading out tomorrow…I was reading your recipe and imaging all the lovely smells!

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