Veal piccata

For ➍

600 g veal steaks

½ cup flour

50 g butter

3 dl olive oil

1.5 dl dry white wine

3 dl chicken stock

2 lemons*

30 g capers

flat leaf parsley

fresh pasta

parmigiano

arugula salad

sun dried tomatoes

white wine vinegar

Ask your butcher to flatten your veal steaks. Or place the pieces between plastic wrap that you have slightly moistened, and then gently flatten the meat with a large flat object such as a pan. .

Season the veal steaks to taste with salt and pepper and then roll them in the flour. Gently knock off the excess flour. 

Heat some butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the veal steaks for about one and a half to two minutes on both sides over a medium heat. Do not bake all the veal steaks at the same time, because then they will not have enough space and you will cook them rather than bake them. Remove the steaks when they are baked, cover them with aluminum foil, add butter and olive oil and fry the rest of the veal steaks.

Once the veal steaks are cooked, add the white wine and gently stir all the browning bits off. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Cut 1 of the lemons into thin slices, them  and let everything reduce by 7-8 m.*

Add 20 g of soft butter, some lemon juice, the finely chopped parsley and the capers and season with salt and pepper. Allow the butter to completely dissolve into the sauce over a low heat. 

Place the veal steaks in the sauce, make sure they are nicely covered, and let them warm up a bit over a low heat.

Serve with fresh pasta, with some olive oil and Parmigiano. Delicious with a rucola salad with some semi-sun-dried tomatoes with pepper, salt, some olive oil and a dash of white wine vinegar. Sprinkle some Parmigiano flakes on the salad.

*or replace lemon slices with lemon zest and add at the end

Chicken piccata

For ➍
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied (halved horizontally)
30 all-purpose flour, sifted
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs unsalted butter
2-3 tbs dry white wine
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs salt-packed capers, soaked in water for 20 m, then drained, rinsed, & drained again
1 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place chicken between plastic wrap or in plastic bag. Pound evenly until about 0.5 cm thick.*
Spread flour in a shallow dish; season with 1 ts salt and ¼ ts pepper; whisk to combine. Place chicken in seasoned flour, turning to coat thoroughly, then tap off the excess.
Heat the oil and 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter starts to sizzle. Cook the chicken in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan (the cutlets should fit snugly in a single layer) until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 m for each side. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the cutlet. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour out any excess fat from the pan.
Return pan to medium heat and add wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 s. (If the liquid is reducing too quickly, before all the browned bits have been incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.) Remove the pan from the heat. Add lemon juice, capers, and remaining 2 tbs butter and swirl until melted and combined, then add parsley and season with salt as desired.***
Immediately pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve.***

*Or put the chicken between sheets of wax paper. Pound it with a hammer or a pan or use a rolling pin.
**Shallots or garlic can be added with capers and slices of lemon. After reduction, butter is stirred in to finish the sauce.
***Serve it, like the Italians, after the pasta as secondo. Serve with vegetables or a salad.

Several authorities believe the name veal piccata, like chicken Parmesan and pasta primavera, was coined by Italian Americans in the United States in the 1930s.
Piccata is an Italian word, the feminine form of the word piccato, meaning 'larded'. It is also spelled picatta or pichotta. It is a translation of the French piqué, participle of piquer. When used in reference to a way of preparing food, particularly meat or fish, it means 'sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter and spices'. In Italian, piccata dishes are often referred to using the umbrella term, scaloppine, of which piccata constitutes just one variety.
Traditionally, the Italians use veal (piccata di vitello al limone) or swordfish (pesce spada con capperi e limone). In the USA, the best known dish of this sort uses chicken (hence: chicken piccata). In the United States, it is usually served with a starch, such as pasta, polenta, or rice.
Try a quick chicken piccata recipe.

Ossobuco alla Milanese (Milanese veal shanks)

For ➍
2 tbs olive oil
25 g flour, to dust
4 pieces of veal shank, about 4 cm thick
50 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped*
1 carrot, finely chopped*
1 celery stick, finely chopped*
1 head of garlic, cut horizontally
2 strips of lemon zest
4 sage leaves
20 cl white wine
20 cl chicken stock
flour
gremolada

Set a casserole dish wide enough to hold the meat in one layer over a high heat. Add the oil. Put the flour on to a small plate and season generously, then use to coat the meat. When the oil is hot, add the meat to the pan and brown well on both sides until golden and crusted. Set aside on a plate.
Turn the heat down and add ¾ of the butter to the pan. When melted, add the onion, carrot and celery, plus a sprinkle of salt, and cook until soft. Add the garlic halves, lemon zest and sage to the pan and cook for a few m more.
Turn up the heat then add the wine to the pan. Return the meat, standing it on top of the vegetables, and bubble until the wine has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
Turn the heat right down, cover and simmer for 1½ to 2 h, carefully turning the meat over every 30 m, until it is tender enough to cut with a spoon. Meanwhile, mix together the gremolada ingredients.
Dot with the remaining butter and allow to melt into the sauce, then serve with the gremolade and risotto alla Milanese or wet polenta.

*Double the vegetables for a tastier result.

This recipe was suggested by the Guardian to be the best Milanese ossobuco, after comparing several recipes.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/mar/06/how-to-cook-perfect-osso-buco.

Ossobuco with tomatoes

For ➍
4 veal shanks of 300 g each (approx. 5 cm thick with bone and marrow)
12 cl /8 tbs olive oil
1 large onion
2 carrots
3-4 celery stalks
2 bay leaves
25 cl white wine
400 g canned diced tomatoes***
50 cl herbal stock
flour
pepper (& salt*)
Parmigiano cheese
gremolada
saffron risotto** or penne pasta**

Make cuts in the rind of the shanks. Brush oil on the shanks. Dust veal shanks in flour. Heat oil in a (preferably) low pot. Brown the veal shanks on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
Fry cleaned, washed and chopped vegetables in remaining drippings. Add bay leaf, extinguish with white wine, tomatoes and stir.
Add (salt), pepper, herbs, stock and the shanks. The shanks should be immersed but not covered by the liquids. Simmer for 90 m. (Remove the lid to reduce the liquids).
Put shanks and sauce on a platter. Sprinkle with the gremolada.
Serve with risotto or penne pasta and freshly grated Parmigiano.

Couscous & veal shank

For ➍
1 kg veal shank
500 g couscous
1 large sweet onion
150 g chickpeas, soaked or canned
1 butternut squash
2 carrots
1 zucchini
1 l chicken stock
1.5 cinnamon stick
1 tbs ginger powder or ras-el-hanout
1 ts turmeric (or a few strands of saffron)
2 tbs butter or good smen

Cut the rind of the shank pieces to avoid curling.
Peel the onions and chop coarsely. Sauté them in a dash of olive oil at the bottom of the couscoussière or large casserole. Add the veal shank and 1 tbs of butter. Allow to simmer without browning.
Sprinkle the couscous in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Pour 1 tbs of olive oil over the couscous and mix the grains well together so they do not stick together.
Add the lukewarm water until the grains are well wet, but not dripping. Allow 5 to 7 m to dry. Rub  the couscous loose between the hands so that the grains are detached from each other. Or make couscous according to instructions on the box *.
Season the meat with the cinnamon stick, saffron, ginger powder, pepper and salt. Deglaze the veal shanks with the stock and simmer for 10 m.
Cut the carrots in pieces of 5 cm. Add the carrots. Peel the butternut squash and cut into pieces of 5 by 5 cm. Add the pumpkin. Add the chickpeas (if canned or jar, add 10 m before the end of cooking). Simmer again for 10 m. Add zucchini.
Full cooking time: ± 1h (possibly slightly shorter for the vegetables).
[Meanwhile steam the couscous. Put the grains in the steam basket of the couscousière and place on top of the pot with the meat. Let stand until the couscous is visible through the steam of the dish.
Remove the couscous from the steamer and sprinkle lightly with water. Rub the couscous loose again in the hands. Repeat this process two more times.]
Before serving, add 1 tbs of butter to the couscous.
Serve the couscous in a large bowl with the meat on top. Dress the chickpeas, onion and butternut and vegetables around the veal shanks and pour over a few spoonfuls of the sauce.

Kalfsfricassé met Oud Bruin, mosterdcrème & venkel (Flemish veal & beer stew)

For ➍
800 g fricassee of veal, cut in chunks
1 bottle Vanderghinste Oud Bruin beer
20 cl veal stock
50 g mustard
pepper, salt, thyme & bay leaf
50 g butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 fennel, chopped
1 tomato,  concasse*
10 g chopped dill
25 g flour
pommes château

Brown veal meat in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Sift the flour over it and mix.
Pour the beer over the meat, which sould be covered. Add the onion, and fennel and thyme and bay leaf to it.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 h.
Add the veal stock to boil and cook for 1 m, add the mustard to it.
Add the tomato and chopped dill.
Serve with pommes château.

*Peel the tomatoes (dip them in hot water for 1 m to remove the peel easily. Discard all pits and juice, and keep the out shell. Cut into small pieces.

'Ouden tripel' was the first beer brewery Vanderghinste from Bellegem in Flanders created in 1889. It is a red ale with mixed fermentation, typical for the South of province of West Flanders. This oud bruin (old brown) beer is made of barley malt, wheat, caramel malt, hops and water. Then lambiek is added to have a slightly sour, refreshing taste. In 2012 the old name Vanderghinste Oud Bruin was reinstalled, with new labels and marketing.

Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs)

For ➍
meatballs:
150 g ground sirloin
150 g ground pork
150 g ground veal
1 large egg, slightly beaten
60 g fine plain breadcrumbs
5 cl milk
⅓ medium white onion, finely chopped
zest of ⅓ lemon, finely chopped
juice of ⅓ lemon
1 tbs capers, chopped
1 tbs anchovy paste or 1 tbs crushed anchovy fillets (or sardines or herring)
20 g melted butter
⅓ ts sea salt
¼ ts ground black pepper
flour (for rolling)
broth
3 dl chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 cl cider vinegar
4 cl dry white wine
3 black peppercorns
1 tbs capers
sauce
zest of ⅓ lemon, small finely chopped
juice of ⅓ lemon
1 dl sour cream
1-2 tbs snipped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat broth ingredients (stock, bay leaf, cider vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, and 2 tbs capers) to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, combine meatball ingredients, mix well.
Form meat mixture into golf-ball sized balls. Roll them in flour, and carefully place into hot broth; simmer each batch (10-12) for 15 m, but do not boil. The broth will thicken as you add the flour covered meatballs, which will make a nice sauce.
Carefully remove meatballs from the hot broth with a slotted spoon, and keep them warm in a covered bowl stored in the oven while making the sauce. Discard bay leaf.
To hot broth, stir in the sauce ingredients and heat through, but do not boil.
Add the cooked meatballs to the heated sauce, stir gently and warm through.
Serve meatballs and cream sauce with boiled new potatoes (Salzkartoffel) or hot buttered spätzle noodles and German red cabbage. Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley, for garnish.

*To serve as an appetizer, make the meatballs smaller and serve warm with toothpicks, buttered rolls and potato salad.

Predecessors of the Königsberger Klopse date back to the Middle Ages. The Prussian name Klops (meat dumpling) didn't originate until the 18th century, when Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia, today known as Kaliningrad in Russia.

Pollo Marsala (chicken Marsala)

For ➍
2 boneless chicken breasts with skin, halved***
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced thin
200 g mushrooms, sliced thinly
10 cl (dry) Marsala*
20 cl chicken broth**
2 tbs fresh parsley leaves, minced

Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat oil and 1 ½ tbs of butter over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs to a large plate as browned.
Discard all but 1 tbs fat from skillet and sauté onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the mushrooms is evaporated. Add Marsala* and cook mixture, stirring, until Marsala is almost evaporated. Add broth** and chicken with any juices that have accumulated on plate and simmer, turning chicken once, until cooked through, about 15 m. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter.
Simmer mushroom sauce until liquid is reduced to about 10 cl. Remove skillet from heat and stir in ½ tbs of butter***. Salt and pepper to taste, stirring until butter*** is just incorporated. Spoon mushroom sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Serve with fresh egg pasta, or with a fresh green salad or aspargus in season. And a glass of spicy white wine, or a fresh red Sicilian wine.

*Replace broth and Marsala with 20 cl Marsala and 10 cl dry sherry.
**Replace ⅓ of the Marsala with dry sherry or crisp white wine to cut the sweetness.
***Replace butter with heavy cream for a thicker, creamier sauce.
****Replace chicken with thin veal or even pork.

Marsala is a fortified wine from the Sicilian city of Marsala, similar to port. It was developed by the British trader John Woodhouse in the late 18th century. Being fortified, it could easily be transported to England and the colonies. It became popular as a cooking wine in, because it could be stored open for a longer time than other wines. Chicken Marsala is much more an American favourite than an original Italian dish.
Picture shows an ad from Ingham Marsala wine.
Read the chicken cooking tip.

Fesa di vitello al limone (veal cutlets with lemon sauce)

For ➍
600 g veal cutlets or scaloppini
10 cl lemon juice
3 tbs olive oil
fresh rosemary & garlic to taste
salt

Lightly pound the cutlets to flatten them out, salt them lightly, and marinate them in the lemon juice and 1 tbs of the olive oil for 30 m.

When it comes time to cook them heat the marinade, oil and herbs to taste in a skillet. When the mixture is bubbling briskly add the meat. Cook briskly, turning the meat once, and finish cooking it over a more moderate flame, sprinkling it with more lemon juice if need be. The cooking time should be quick, just a few minutes.

Serve with a glass of dry white wine, good bread or some pasta.

*white wine variation: 600 g veal cutlets or scaloppini, 10 cl dry white wine, 3 tbs olive oil, flour, salt, fresh sage, garlic and lemon juice to taste.
Salt and flour the slices of meat, brown them in some of the olive oil, then add the wine and continue cooking over a brisk flame until it has evaporated. Reduce the flame and continue cooking the meat until done, adding 2 tbs of water or broth to keep it from drying out. Just before you remove it from the flames, sprinkle it with minced sage and garlic, and lemon juice to taste, and the remaining oil.

Quick chicken piccata

For ➍
4 chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 0.5 cm thick
1 tbs all-purpose flour
½ ts onion powder
½ ts garlic powder
½ ts salt
¼ ts freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
5 cl sweet white wine
1 tbs butter
1 tbs lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
10 cl chicken stock
1 tbs small capers, drained

Combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle evenly on both sides of chicken cutlets.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken in one layer and cook on the first side for 5 m, or until golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Turn only once. (It will cook more later.) Remove to a platter.

Add the white wine to the pan drippings and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until syrupy. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and chicken stock. Cook for 2 m.

Return chicken to the pan, turning to coat both sides with sauce. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center . Sprinkle with capers.

Let rest for 2 m, then serve with pan sauce.

Serve with couscous and asparagus for instance.

'Piccata' is Italian for 'larded'. With food, particularly meat or fish, it means sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices. The best known dish of this sort is chicken piccata, using chicken, but the term is also used with veal. There are some regional differences.

Ballekes met krieken (Flemish meat patties with sour cherries)

For ➍
800 g minced meat*
1 slice white bread, crumbled
1 egg yolk
500 g sour cherries** with 30 cl juice, bottled or canned
40 cl meat stock
100 g butter
a small glass of jenever/gin***
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 200°C. Moisten the bread crumbs with a tbs of cherry juice. Drain and mix with meat and egg yolk. Avoid that the mix becomes too wet. Roll into 8 balls and flatten to patties.

Butter an oven dish, large enough to fit the patties. Put in oven and bake for 5 m. Pour in the stock and the cherry juice. Cook for about 45 m. Remove patties and keep warm. Pour cooking liquids in a pan and reduce until halved. Put in the cherries and heat for 5 m. Add the patties and reheat. (Add salt & pepper, if necessary).

Serve with mashed potatoes.

* A mix of pork and veal. (Add an exotic flavour by using spicy lamb's meat from merguez.)
**Tart cherries, canned or bottled
***Obviously, this should be good Belgian jenever, but a drop of good gin will do. Or you could omit it ;-).

Read tip on minced meat & salt Or a tip on replacing a part of the meat with mushrooms.

Bob Dylan's perfect meatballs

For ➍
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbs vegetable oil (for frying)
250 g ground meat (equal parts beef, pork, veal)
4 tbs Parmigiano cheese, grated
9 crackers, finely crushed*
½ ts salt
black pepper
oregano
dried basil
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
4 tbs water
1 egg**
1 ts tomato paste

“Heat the oil over a low heat in a large Dutch oven***. In a big bowl, add the meat, garlic, cheese, crackers, and spices. Mix lightly with your fingers. Don’t be shy, get into it.

In a small bowl, whisk the water, the egg, and the tomato paste.

Add the egg mixture to the meat mixture. Mix it lightly with your fingers. Form it into drum shapes, or balls.****

Cook in batches, over medium high heat, until it is browned on both sides. That will be about five minutes total. Serve ‘em up with some potatoes, or some spaghetti, or just make a sandwich out of them. You're gonna love 'em.****" (Transcript from Dylan's Radio Hour show).

*Use old bread crumbs instead.
**Use only yolk to make firmer balls.
***When using a preheated oven, make an ersatz Dutch oven by folding aluminium foil under and around the balls. Bake for 25 m at 185°C for the spoon-sized balls, 20 m for the medium balls. Otherwise, use a deep frying pan.
****Use 2 overlapping tbs to make a ball, then roll it in your hands. This will make about 10 large-sized or, when cut in 2, 20 medium balls.

In the wonderful radio show, Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour, the host not only explored the music he loves and was influenced by, but also dished up some basic recipes, like these tasty meatballs. The recipe seems to be influenced by local Minnesota cooking.
Read more Bob Dylan suggestions: Bob Dylan's finest mint julep,  his mother's fudge bars here.

Kesksou belfoul (couscous with veal meatballs & broad beans)

For ➍
400 g fresh broad beans, cut
ground ginger
1 ts saffron
4 onions
400 g veal meat, minced*
5 slices of bread
1 bush of parsley
2 bushes of coriander
1 egg
1 ts cumin powder
1 ts cinnamon
2 tbs pistachio nuts (not salted), peeled/pistachio kernels**
salt & black pepper

Grate 2 onions, chop the parsley and 1 bush of coriander. Soak 5 slices of bread in water or milk. Press them dry. Mix onions, parsley, bread, meat, egg, ½ ts of cumin, 1 ts of cinnamon, 2 tbs of pistachio nuts**, salt & pepper. Roll the meatballs with wet hands.

Cut 2 large onions. Heat oil in the lower part of the couscoussière (or a deep skillet like a steamer). Add onions, black pepper, 1½ ts of ginger, 1 ts of saffron, 1 bush of coriander and salt. Sauté on low fire. Add 2 l of water (or enough to contain meatballs and beans).

When the broth is boiling, put in the meatballs. Boil for 20 m.

Put the couscous*** on top in the steaming pan. Cover.****

After 10 m, add the broad beans to the broth. Cover.

When ready, put the couscous on a plate.***** Decorate with meatballs and beans.

Serve broth in a separate bowl.

*Use chopped veal instead of meatballs. Cut into chunks, add to the onions, and braise. Add 2 l of water.
**Use pine nuts instead.
***Moisten couscous the traditional way before steaming, or use precooked. Remove couscous when ready.
****Or: steam couscous in another steamer or, when using precooked, add some of the broth to moisten the couscous.
*****Mix ½ tbs of butter through the couscous.

The secret ingredients of these meatballs are pistachio nuts. Native to Persia, their cultivation was spread by the Islamic conquest of the Mediterranean, and used in luxurious sweets. They add an unexpected taste and crunchy bite to the meatballs.

tip: cooking meat in the oven

Red meat:
beef, deer / doe, lamb, duck, stag

Preheat oven to 200° C, 20 m per 500 g.

White meat:

pork, veal, young boar

Preheat oven to 220° C, 20/25 m per 500 g.

Other meat:

poultry, chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, pheasant

Preheat oven to 240° C, 20 m per 500 g, reduce heat to 180° C, 20 more m per 500 g.

The meat is done when the liquid out of the thighs turns colourless.

All meat must rest for at least 20 m in aluminum foil before serving.

Don't put meat, straight from the refrigerator, in the oven. It will make the temperature drop.

Most meat benefits from basting, but opening the oven will affect cooking time.
Skewers:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook for 15-20 m, depending on the thickness of the chunks.

Read more tips. Read tip on grilling and braising meat in the oven. Read more meat and fowl recipes. Read more on roasting meat. Read general cooking times for meat, in & out of the oven.