Grass Fed Veal Scaloppine

Fortunately, grass fed or "free raised" veal* is becoming much more common, ending my 20 year boycott against buying or eating veal. Perhaps it's because it has been so long, but this sure tastes good. Quick and easy, and the sauce does it justice. You don't taste the mustard or lemon juice at all ~ it adds just the right acid for balance. Serves 4

1 lb veal scaloppine, pounded to equal thinness

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c potato flour in a shallow dish, plus 1 TB for the sauce

EVOO

1/4 c dry white wine

1/2 c homemade chicken stock

1 TB chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard (original)

1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 TB whole coconut milk (it tastes just like heavy cream)

Have everything prepped, measured and ready to go before you begin, because once your meat is cooked, it goes very quickly. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with EVOO. Cut the scaloppine into serving size pieces, about 4"x4". Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in the potato flour. You'll notice the flour is much more powdery than wheat flour, you need a lot less, and it dries out the meat perfectly (that's all you want it to do, anyway.)

When the oil is hot and rippling, put about 3 pieces of meat, or however many you can fit in without overcrowding, in the pan and cook for 2 minutes on the first side, 1-2 minutes on the second side. Potato flour is stickier, so if you're using a regular (not non-stick) skillet, you may have to coax the meat loose with a metal spatula; that's fine, you'll just have more brown flavor bits in your gravy. Remove the meat to a serving plate with raised edges. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and cook the rest of the veal the same way, adding more EVOO if you need to.

Pour off the extra oil or add more to make about 1 TB in the skillet. Add 1 TB potato flour and stir briskly with a whisk. The potato flour will cook much more quickly than wheat flour. Add in the wine and stir to incorporate. It will thicken up fast. Working quickly, add in the chicken stock and lemon juice, and use the edge of your spatula to help scrape up all the brown bits, and then whisk until it's all uniform and emulsified. Add in the thyme, mustard and coconut milk, whisk to blend, taste for more salt and pepper, and pour over the meat. As you can see, I like a lot of sauce. I should have decorated the plate with some parsley, but we were hungry!

Note: EVOO breaks (separates) in a sauce more easily than butter because it's an unrefined oil. If this happens, don't add more flour, add another tsp or two of chicken stock and whisk briskly. That should save it.

*If you Google "grass fed veal", a multitude of sites come up where you can find local-to-you or by order grass fed or "free fed", hormone and antibiotic-free, humanely raised cattle. Click on the Free Raised Tour and Pasture Video on this page, Free Raised to find out about one such ranch.

Learn about pasture raised proteins, along with resources, in Eat Wild in the City