Veal

Thin slices of veal are expensive, but you can thin meat yourself by pounding it with a mallet or a plastic-wrapped hammer if you don't have one.

Veal Cordon Bleu

• 12 thin slices veal
• 6 thin slices Swiss cheese
• 6 thin slices Virginia ham
• flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup butter
• freshly ground pepper

1. Pound raw veal slices until very flat.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Put 6 slices of veal on a platter and put 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of ham on each.
4. Cover with remaining veal slices.
5. Pound edges together.
6. Dip in flour, then beaten egg, then crumbs.
7. Fry in butter about 8 minutes.
8. Serves 6.

Veal Parmigiana

Nan's niece Annabella asked me for her recipe for veal parm, but I don't have it.

This recipe, from Rachael Ray's TV show, seems close. Norm says his mom made her own tomato sauce from canned tomatoes and tomato paste. If you use San Marzano tomatoes there might be enough flavour in the tomatoes to not use the paste, as in Rachael Ray's tomato sauce recipe. Note: the recipe actually says to use a scant teaspoon of sugar in the sauce, but the sauce may not need it.

I remember Nan serving veal parmigiana with tiny deep-fried whole potatoes.

If you use 2 cans of tomatoes for the sauce there should be enough to put in a side dish of spaghettini (about 1/2-3/4 lb of dried pasta). 

Tomato Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and diced finely
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 large dried bay leaf
• 1 cup water or chicken stock or beef stock
• sugar (3/4 tsp) salt and pepper to taste
• one to two 15 oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes (whole) with liquid

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add onion, garlic, herbs, sugar and seasonings. When onion has softened (about 5 minutes) add 1 cup liquid (water or stock).
2. When liquid boils down, add tomato juices from the can to the pan. Use a knife to chop the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan.
3. Cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomato sauce has thickened. Stir in sugar if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Veal:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground dry sage
• oil for frying
• Eight 3-ounce veal cutlets, about ⅛-inch-thick
• freshly ground pepper, salt
• 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

1. Season veal with salt and pepper, set aside.
2. In a shallow dish, whisk 1 cup flour with 1/2 tsp. salt
3. In a second dish, beat 2 eggs
4. In a third dish, stir 1 cup breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and 1-1/2 tsp ground sage.
5. Coat each piece of seasoned veal by first coating both sides in flour, then dipping in egg, then coating with breadcrumb mixture.
6. Preheat oven broiler.
7. Put 1/8 inch deep layer of oil in a large skillet and heat on medium-high. Fry each piece of veal until coating is golden, about 2 minutes on each side.
8. Place veal on a baking sheet. Over each piece spoon some sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheese and remaining parmesan. Put veal under the broiler and cook until cheese is brown and bubbly. When veal is cooked,  serve with garnish of fresh parsley or basil.