Veal

The most important part of this blog is about the relationship we have with our food, how we deal with the dietary restrictions placed upon us by WLS and how we can still enjoy good and exciting foods as we live our new lower weight life. I have discussed regaining weight after WLS previously and frankly it is more of a problem with the consumptive discipline we need in our lives, not the food choices we have available. So today I want to get back to talking about food again. Exciting, good tasting food that provides adequate sustenance and well as some emotional support. So I am going to give you several recipes for veal. These are high protein dishes with great taste and eye appeal. They can be easily portioned-controlled simply by the creation of the size of the piece of meat. A four ounce serving is just about perfect. They are readily stored and can be rewarmed and eaten as leftovers. I know the arguments regarding how veal is raised and created. That issue is not within the purview of this blog. The meat is available and if you have a problem with how it is raised that is perfectly fine. Don’t use it.



Veal francese

Ingredients:
1/2 pound veal scallops from the leg
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 Egg well beaten
Flour for dredging
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup Dry white wine

Directions:
Place veal pieces between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet until they're thin. Season with salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg in a wide, shallow bowl. Place the flour on a wide plate.

Dip the pounded veal in the egg. Remove, letting the excess egg drip off. Place each scallop in the flour, and coat lightly. Remove the scallops from the flour, and hold them in a single layer. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to a saute pan large enough to hold the 6 scallops in a single layer. Melt the butter over medium-high heat.

When it foams, add the veal. Saute, turning once, until the scallops are golden on the outside. Remove the scallops and hold in a single layer. Spill the butter out of the saute pan, and return the pan to high heat. Add the white wine and reduce it to 1/2 cup. Turn heat to very low. Swirl in the butter until the sauce is thickened. Add the reserved veal to the pan, turning them until they are coated with the sauce. Divide scaloppini among 2 plates, pour remaining sauce over them. Serve immediately.

Veal scaloppini

Ingredients:
1 lb veal, scaloppini (1/4 in thick)
1/2 cup flour
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees F.
Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
Dredge veal in flour.
Mix eggs, Parmigiano, salt, pepper.
Dip floured scaloppini into egg batter and place in hot pan.
Cook scaloppini in batches being careful not to crowd the pan.
Cook until nicely browned (1 1/2-2 minutes per side).
Remove to a platter and keep warm in oven.
Repeat, adding more oil and butter to pan as needed until all are cooked.
When done return all to the pan and sprinkle with lemon juice and serve on a warm platter.

Veal with wild mushroom cream sauce

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup shallots, minced
8 ounces wild mushrooms (such as chanterelles, shiitake, oyster, or a combination)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large garlic clove minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup veal demi-glace
1 cup heavy cream

For the veal:
8 veal cutlets, scaloppini style
Flour for dredging
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh chervil, minced

Directions:
Make the sauce:
In a saute pan set over moderately high flame, heat the oil and butter until hot. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the demi-glace and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce until lightly thickened. Cover with a round of buttered wax paper and keep hot.

Make the veal
Dredge the veal scallops in flour, shaking off excess, and season with salt and pepper.
In large skillet set over moderate flame, heat olive oil and butter until hot. Add scallops and saute for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the meat back into the sauce for just a minute and season with fresh lemon juice and chervil.