Veal Piccata

Get ready to master one of the most elegant yet surprisingly simple Italian classics! This veal piccata brings restaurant-quality luxury right to your dinner table with tender veal cutlets in a bright, lemony sauce that’s pure magic.

The secret to this show-stopping dish lies in its perfectly balanced sauce – tangy capers, rich butter, and bright citrus create layers of flavor that’ll make you feel like a professional chef. The best part? It comes together in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

For the Veal:

• 4 veal cutlets (150g/5 oz each)
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Sauce:

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon (half juiced, half sliced)
• 125ml/½ cup dry sherry or white wine
• 125ml/½ cup chicken stock
• 3 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (170°F/75°C). Pat veal cutlets completely dry with paper towels (wet meat won’t brown properly), then season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown veal for 5 minutes per side until golden. Add 2 tbsp butter after 2 minutes – this creates a beautiful crust. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding, which prevents proper browning.
3. Transfer veal to the warm oven (170°F/75°C). This keeps it perfectly warm without overcooking while you make the sauce.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add shallot to the same pan and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown. Stir in 1 tbsp flour to create a paste (this thickens your sauce), cooking for 1-2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
5. Pour in sherry or wine, scraping up all the flavorful brown bits (fond) from the pan bottom. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add stock, lemon juice, slices, capers, and parsley. Increase heat to medium-high until boiling, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 3-4 minutes until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
6. Return veal to pan, spooning sauce over top. Serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and hot.

Smart Swaps

• Use chicken cutlets instead of veal (pound to ¼-inch thickness)
• Replace sherry with additional chicken stock plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Skip the flour dredging and use 2 tbsp almond flour instead (reduces carbs by 8g per serving)
• Replace wine with additional chicken stock to eliminate sugar
• Serve with roasted vegetables instead of traditional pasta sides

Pro Tips

• Let veal come to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking for even browning
• Don’t overcrowd the pan – cold meat releases moisture and steams instead of browns
• If sauce gets too thick, thin with warm chicken stock 1 tbsp at a time