Chef Mik's Veal Marsala

When I think about American style Italian food one of the first things I think of is veal marsala, a very nice, very simple sauté. More often then not served Stateside with pasta of some sort, though I imagine when served in Italy it would follow pasta at the dinner table. The wine is of course a key player in this dish, a fortified wine inspired by the English mans love of Porto and Sherry. Marsala wine travels well and was quite seaworthy which helped it rise in popularity. this was do to the fact it did not spoil quickly in the unstable and quite hostile environment it was stored in, on those ships as it had hard alcohol added to it in the case of marsala brandy was the alcohol of choice. On that note, it’s highly recommended one use a wine for the cooking process one would not be afraid to drink. As for the other essentials of the dish, I am using veal scaloppini which are thin cuts of meat derived from the sirloin, but cutlets are also quite common. A word of advice scaloppini cook rather quickly so just be mindful of that fact, this is also why I like to get my sauce going before I start browning the meat. As for the sauce, I prefer using veal stock and demi glace as apposed to beef and/or poultry stock as I have done so today. You can use most mushrooms for this dish, white button, cremini or portobello are quite common, I will be using baby bello. Lastly, many people will add thyme along with other herbs and spices which is perfectly fine however I think this dish is great just the way it is, nice and simple.  

Shopping List

Veal scaloppini or cutlets

Mushrooms

Shallots

Beef or veal stock

Demi glace

Sweet marsala wine

Unbleached all-purpose flour

Butter

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

My Mad Method

Prep the veal ahead of time by slice veal into thin strips, and clean it of excess debris

Begin the sauce by adding about a TBSP extra virgin olive oil and melting about 1 TBSP butter to a hot pan

Add 6 baby bello or other mushroom sliced thick and sauté

When the mushrooms have color and are somewhat softened add one shallot sliced or chopped and 1 clove garlic minced sauté a minute or so longer

Add 4 dl sweet marsala wine, 4 dl veal or beef stock and 1 TBSP demi glace, reduce by 1 quarter, set aside

Dredge the veal in seasoned unbleached all purpose flour, I have only added seas salt and black pepper

Heat a sauté pan add about 2 TBSP each extra virgin olive oil and clarified butter, when nice and hot start browning the veal

Flip the veal and brown on the other side as well a minute or so longer

Add the sauce and sauté for 3 to 4 minute until meat is cooked through and sauce has reduced by ¼ , if desired melt a little butter into the sauce

Ready to serve!!

Ready to eat!!