Veal Piccata With A Greek Twist.


Wikipedia says, and I quote: "The piccata was an Italian dish consisting of thin slices of veal sauteed and served with a base of lemon sauce, capers and butter. The meat is tender, seasoned, rolled in flour and sautéed in olive oil until a golden crust on each side. The sauce is obtained by icing the bottom of the pan with white wine before adding the lemon juice, capers and butter. The sauce is then served on the meat, sprinkled with parsley and possibly decorated with lemon slices".

The past tense is used because this dish was in fashion 30 to 40 years ago. Classy restaurants even in Cairo, Egypt where I was born used to serve it and was considered a light but gourmet dish to have.

Of course you need good quality veal and wine for this preparation.

 Ingredients:

  • 500 gr veal thinly sliced.
Special thingie to cut meat in thin slices


  • Some good quality olive oil to saute the meat in.
  • Lemon juice to taste.
  • Any kind of liquor to de-glaze the sauce. This wine could be, dry white, Marsala  (a special delicious white wine from the town of Marsala in Sicily, Italy), or as in my case Ouzo.
  • If Ouzo is used a few star anise are added.
  • All purpose flour to coat the veal slices.

  • A good piece of good fresh butter.
  • Parsley.
  • 1/4 cupCapers.
  • Thin slices of lemon to decorate.
  • Salt and Pepper to taste. 
Method:
  • Season meat slices with salt and pepper.
  • Coat with all purpose flour, shake excess flour off.
  • Heat oil in skillet.
  • Sautee meat slices from both sides till golden. This step is very quick because the slices are thin. Do not over cook.
  • Add star anise while sauteing.
  • Add a shot of ouzo, flambe to burn off the alcohol. Very nice to cook in from of friends.
  • Add lemon juice and butter, lower heat till butter melts.
  • Add capers, parsley.
  • Serve with slices lemon, small boiled skin-on potatoes and a green salad.


Enjoy 
Stelio

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