Wish Upon A Dish: Veal with Peppers, Onions and Fennel

October 19, 2010

Veal with Peppers, Onions and Fennel

My Mom used to make this veal with peppers dish. I do not remember the exact recipe because the last time I probably ate it.....was 40 years ago. I assume it was based on a traditional Italian-American one pot saute dish Veal with Peppers & Onions. I know it had wine in it because I remember that God awful bottle of cooking wine in the house and my parents did not drink much wine back then, so what we used was probably all she knew.

Now we know better.

Thank you God...

For good wine...

OK, for everything!

I am adding carrots, fennel, mushrooms and olives.

OK, I take it back....this will be nothing like my Mom's Veal & Peppers dish.

But it has veal in it.

And peppers.

Alright....inspired by my mom's veal recipe.

Now I am happy, I can get some work done.

Sauteed Veal Strips with Vegetables
Makes 4 servings
* 3 tbls butter
* 2 tbls vegetable oil
* 2 ounces bacon or pancetta, 1/4" strips
* 1 1/2 cups onion, 1/4" slice
* 1 medium garlic clove, sliced thin
* 3 medium carrots, 2" julienne
* 1 cup fennel, 1/4" slice
* 2 cups mixed green, yellow, red and peppadew peppers, 1/4" strips
* 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin
* 2 tbls white wine or chicken broth
* Salt & Pepper
* 1 pound veal scaloppine, cut into 1x3" strips
* Kalamata olive, pitted


This is an easy and fast way to make carrot julienned. Cut circles on the bias the length that the recipe calls for (this time it is 2"). Line them up on a board and cut through them lickety split.


In a large saute pan, melt butter with olive oil and add bacon. When bacon is rendered, reserve the fat, olive oil and butter. Leave bacon in the pan.
Add onions and garlic. Saute until slightly softened. Season with salt & pepper.
Add fennel & carrots, cover pan and cook on low heat until carrots are soft.
Next comes the peppers. Add more fat if needed.
Saute peppers until softened and remove all vegetables to a bowl.
Adding more fat, saute mushrooms until all liquid is evaporated and browned on sides. Remove to bowl with other vegetables. Cool and cover.


At this point, they can be refrigerated.

Right before eating, add fat to pan and stir-fry veal strips quickly on high heat.
Season with salt & pepper. Add wine and olives to pan and simmer on high to reduce slightly (about 2 minutes).
Add vegetables back to pan, turning a few times to reheat. Add 1 tbls butter, turn off heat and add cheese. Stir and Serve.



For a starch I am making Quinoa for dinner tonight. I thought I might make bulgur but the Quinoa is sweeter and would go better with the salty and tart of the olives.

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