FOR THE OLD-SCHOOL KITCHEN GUYS IN SOUTH PHILLY: Hey, you, with the cigarette hanging off the kitchen pass! I see your veal deal.
Your red sauce joint is jumping on a busy Saturday night and I know you need those kitchen burners in your tiny kitchen (mine’s tiny, too!) for so many of your Italian-American delights—Pasta with Broccoli! Flounder Francese! Chicken Piccata!
I watch your kitchen tongs clasp the edges of your floured veal scaloppine as you dip them into a huge, deep saucepot full of olive oil that’s warmed just enough to seal the deal.
I see you lay ’em down to cool, then stack ’em up high like playing cards until . . .
Ding! (order in)
And you deal out your cold veal into a saucepan filled with hot, buttery Marsala sauce.
Only three minutes later, Mr. & Mrs. on table 5 are digging in!
I gotta tell you old-school guys . . .
This ain’t a cooking technique I recommend.
(But I admire your stone-cold old-school cooking shortcut.)
My favorite Italian-American South Philly dish (besides Sunday gravy) that I crave and make at home is veal Marsala. With so few ingredients, it’s a quick weeknight meal, and when done well, it’s fantastic. The addition of a spoonful of veal demi-glace in my recipe gives it a depth of flavor and appearance that is glossy and smooth. You must use a good, dry Sicilian Marsala (dry is best for this recipe, but if you have only sweet on hand, go for it) so that the distinct, nutty, complex flavors of this fortified wine shine through. Conversely, if you use sweet Marsala, your sauce will pick up the flavors of molasses and caramel that dominate the sweet version. Also, dry Marsala is a wonderful aperitivo, so you can sip ’n’ cook. My go-to mix for a mushroom medley in all of my recipes is a blend of fresh shiitake, cremini, and oyster mushrooms. Together, they have a balanced earthiness and I love the meaty body and texture. Note: Most grocery stores sell veal already sliced and pounded into scaloppine, Italian for “little slices of meat.” The cut of scaloppine is from the top round, which is from the top inside of the veal leg, so it may be packaged as veal leg for scaloppine.
SERVES 4
3/4 cup [105 g] all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
11/2 lb [680 g] veal scaloppine, about 8 slices, patted dry with a paper towel
3 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz [340 g] assorted mushrooms (my go-to mix are shiitake, cremini, and oyster), halved and tough stems trimmed off
1/2 cup [120 ml] dry Marsala wine (see headnote)
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup [60 ml] store-bought veal demi-glace
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 lemon wedge
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Maldon sea salt flakes
In a large, shallow dish, whisk together the flour, 1 tsp salt, and several grinds of pepper. Set aside.
Dredge the veal slices in the seasoned flour to coat, shaking off the excess. (Really shake it over the bowl, otherwise excess flour will burn in the pan, making the sauce gloppy.) Transfer to a large plate or platter and set aside.
In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat, add the neutral oil and warm until it shimmers. Add the veal slices in a single layer and cook, leaving them undisturbed, until their undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip them over and transfer to a clean plate. Set aside.
To the same skillet, add the olive oil, mushrooms, and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their water and soften, 3 to 5 minutes (if you are using shiitakes, they take for ever).
Now, stop here and read this out loud: Pull the pan away from the stove when adding the Marsala because it may go up in flames. Are we all good? Continue.
Add the Marsala, butter, veal demi-glace, and parsley and squeeze that lemon wedge right into the skillet. Return the veal to the pan, uncooked-side down, and cook in the sauce until the sauce thickens, the underside browns, and the veal cooks through while soaking up all the flavors in the skillet, 11/2 to 2 minutes.
Transfer this abbondanza to a serving platter, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt flakes. Serve immediately.
