This classic Italian dish is as elegant and refined as it is quick and easy to make.
Scallopini are scallops or cutlets that are so thin that they cook in a matter of minutes. They cook so quickly, in fact, that they present a dilemma. The scallopini are overdone before the exteriors can attain decent browning. To achieve both browned exteriors and juicy interiors, I sauteed the cutlets until deep brown on one side and until just lightly golden on the other. This gave me the flavor benefits of good browning and cutlets that were still moist and tender.
Sauteing the cutlets leaves browned bits in the skillet that can be used in a pan sauce. But the sauce takes longer to reduce than the scallopini should wait to be served.
For my version. I began making the sauce before sauteing the cutlets and put the finishing touches on the sauce as soon as the cutlets were cooked.
The veal cutlets sold at the grocery store are not the super tender scallopini cut from the pricey loin muscle that are served in better Italian restaurants. Rather, average veal cutlets are sliced from the leg or shoulder which have considerable chew. To make them more palatable, I enlisted the help of meat tenderizer and a meat pounder, if needed, to achieve a pleasing texture.
Certain things can go wrong. For instance, common mistake is crowding the cutlets in the pan. What you should do is sauté the cutlets in batches, cooking only as many as will comfortably fit into the skillet at a time. Leave some space between the pieces and avoid overlapping them even slightly. Cutlets that are crowded into the pan will not brown.; Not only will they lack the rich flavor that accompanies browning, but they will also lack visual appeal.
If the veal cutlets you purchased are thicker than ¼-inch, place them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even ¼ inch thickness with a meat pounder. If the cutlets are thinner than 1/4-inch, pound them to an even 1/8-inch thickness and then fold them in half. The meat tenderizer turns tough supermarket cutlets into cutlets every bit as tender as those found in restaurants; Do not omit it. Because the meat tenderizer contains sodium, it is unnecessary to salt the cutlets. Simply season the sauce with salt to taste. Your guests and family will think you went to culinary school. Mangia!
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