Monday, February 11, 2008

Pan-fried Veal Cutlets with Pinot-Mushroom Reduction Sauce


Whew, sounds complicated, right? Well, not really. And the sauce REALLY turned out well. In fact, it was the very best part of the meal.

Pan-fried Veal Cutlets with Pinot-Mushroom Reduction Sauce
EVOO (lots)
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 c sliced cremini (baby portobella) mushrooms
1/2 c Pinot Noir wine (I used Blackstone, it was on sale)
1/2 c chicken stock4 veal cutlets
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 c breadcrumbs (Italian season flavor, if you've got it, otherwise throw in some Mrs Dash or whatever with the plain breadcrumbs)
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan
salt & pepper

Turn on oven to the lowest setting.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat with a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil. When the butter is all melted and beginning to bubble, add the diced onion and mushrooms. Saute for about 6-7 minutes, until the veggies are soft and begin to caramelize slightly. Season with salt and pepper, saute for a minute more, and then remove the veggies from the pan and add a little more olive oil.

In the meantime, mix up the breadcrumbs and parmesan in a large shallow bowl. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, then dip them first in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the meat so that they adhere better. Saute the cutlets in batches, adding more olive oil as needed to ensure that they don't stick, and being sure not to crowd the pan (you can probably fit two at a time in a 12" pan). Cook the meat for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Transfer the cutlets to a baking sheet and put them in the oven to stay warm.

When all the cutlets have been cooked, return the mushrooms and onions to the pan and add the wine, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to cook out for a minute, then add the chicken stock, and turn up the heat to medium-high. Boil vigorously for a few minutes, until the sauce is reduced by at least half.

Serve the cutlets immediately, topped with the sauce. This would go great with buttered noodles, but I made garlic mashed potatoes this time.

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