Baby Cow Piccata with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce. Moo.

I don't ordinarily hit up the grocery store for meat. There are so many quality butchers selling happy meat here in Victoria I usually go to one of them - like Terra Nossa or Island Meat & Seafood in the Cook St Village or The Halal Butcher in Quadra village or if in a pinch, I'll hit up The Market on Yates. But I was at the grocery store yesterday. Lazy bitch!

Yes, I was at the grocery store yesterday, perusing the meat isle. And feeling like I was dying a little bit inside. Unhappy meat lives here. Easy, my sad little heart. This moment will pass...

...when a rather disheveled gentleman asked me"is that beef or pork?".

My first thought: what an odd question. Why not look at the label?

My second thought: maybe he can't read.

So I replied, "it's veal".

He looked at me like I had just spoken Klingon.

So I clarified, "baby cow. Mooooo". 

His perplexed expression then contorted to disgusted / horrified as he hurriedly walked away...

Maybe the "moo" was a little much.

Baby Cow Piccata with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

4 Veal Cutlets.
1 Onion, finely diced.
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled & finely chopped.

1 Lb Mixed Mushrooms (i.e. crimini, button, portobella).

1 Lemon for zest and juice.

1 Tbsp Capers, rinsed & dried.

Small Handful Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley, roughly chopped.

1/2 C Parmesan, Asiago, or Grana Padano Cheese, finely grated.

1 C Dry Red Wine.

3/4 C Chicken or Beef Stock.

3/4 C Half & Half Cream (or higher).

3-4 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.

1 Bird's Eye Chili (optional), finely chopped.

1 C Flour.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black pepper.

6-8 oz. of Pasta for serving (I used pappardelle noodles).

What to Do:

 Place each piece of veal in between 2 loose pieces of saran wrap. Bash the crap out of it with a meat cleaver, a rolling pin, or a heavy bottomed pan. Make them flat, uniform in size, and lookin good! Remove from the plastic and season both sides with salt and pepper and then dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Set aside.

* Some butchers will do this first step for you or some grocers will even carry them already smushed. Warning: nothing feels better than beating the shit out of a piece of flesh. I recommend doing it yourself or you'll be missing out.

Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir well, and cook until el dente - approx 7 to 9 minutes for dried pasta. Drain well. 

Meanwhile, throw the olive oil and butter into a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Allow to melt until just sizzling and then add the veal, being cautious not to crowd the pan. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, flip, and cook a further 3 minutes. Remove from the pan, place on a wire rack to rest and cover with aluminum foil.

Now toss the mushrooms, onion, and garlic into the hot dirty pan with a little extra oil. Stir well. Allow to soften slightly and then pour in the stock, wine, and lemon juice, lemon zest, and if using, the chili. Make sure to stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all those delicious veal bits. Hello flavour! Allow the mixture to come to a boil and reduce to about half the original amount of liquid (approx 3-5 minutes).

Remove from the heat, stir in the cream, capers, and parsley. Keep it moving until incorporated because you don't want the cream to curdle. Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve the veal on the pasta with a great big ladle of the sauce and mushrooms. Don't be shy. Finish with the grated cheese.

Eat.

 

This post is linked up with Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday;
Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.