Vitello Contadina Food

VITELLO TONNATO

Steps:

• Place the veal in a casserole large enough to accommodate it. Add the wine and enough water to cover the veal by 1/2 an inch. Remove veal and set aside. Add vegetables and bouquet garni to the water and bring the liquid to a boil. Return the meat to the simmering water, cover and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours or until the veal is cooked through.
• Remove the veal from the heat and let it cool in its own liquid, remove it from the liquid and the veal is ready. (Boil the remaining liquid down by half and use as you would broth.) Remove strings and thinly slice.
• In a food processor puree until creamy the tuna fish, anchovies, capers, vegetable and olive oils. Add lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice (add more if you wish). Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the mayonnaise and season very well with salt and pepper.
• Spread bottom of a shallow nonmetal dish with a layer of tuna sauce. Arrange some veal slices, in a single layer, end to end, over the tuna sauce. Cover first layer of veal again with tuna sauce. Build up a second layer of veal and cover with sauce again. End with a generous layer of sauce, (making sure veal is entirely covered so that it does not dry out). Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Serve chilled with steamed haricot verts (French green beans) or asparagus along with wedges of ripe tomato, halved pitted black olives, snipped chives and chopped parsley.

VEAL PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, salt and pepper in a pie plate. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and water. Set aside. On a plate, spread the all-purpose flour. Coat the veal scallops with the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture and then coat with the bread crumb mixture, patting with your fingers to make the crumbs adhere.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veal and saute until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the cutlets and cook, 2 to 3 minutes more, adding a little more oil if the pan looks dry. Remove veal scallops to a plate and blot with paper towels.
• Lightly oil a flameproof baking pan or shallow baking dish. Spoon into the pan 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Arrange the veal scallops over the sauce, slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Top with the mozzarella slices and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. If you wish to brown the top, remove the foil and run the dish briefly under a broiler.