Rose Veal Scallopini with Lemon and Capers

Veal scallopini, thin escalopes of meat fried in butter before being finished in a beautiful white wine, parsley, lemon and caper sauce.

This classic recipe sounds all sorts of fancy, but it is incredibly easy to cook and really very quick too, it will go from your fridge to your table in under 30 minutes.

Veal Escalopes with Capers and Lemon (Piccata)

This simple veal scallopini recipe contains some of my favourite flavours to create a complete and pretty quick meal.

Lemon, capers, butter, lemon and anchovies all crop up regularly here on Krumpli, not least in my chicken piccata recipe.

They are flavours that work wonderfully, I also use them in my creamy lemon chicken pasta and tuna steak with lemon, capers and parsley.

My take on this recipe which dates back to the 1930’s uses beautiful British rose veal. It’s the same cut of meat that I use to make veal Wiener schnitzel.

It cooks in minutes and then the goodness from the fried meat is used as a base for a simple, butter, wine, lemon and caper sauce. My version also adds anchovies to give that beautiful sauce some extra “meatiness”.

It’s a recipe that can easily be cooked and prepared in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal midweek dinner, that looks and tastes very special.

If veal is your thing, be sure to check out my wonderful veal burger with port onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of veal do you use?

Veal Scallopini refers to the cut of meat used, it is a thinly sliced escalope from the top portion of the rump or topside.

Why is your veal so dark?

I always choose to use British rose veal rather than continental milk-fed veal.

You could make this recipe in an identical way using milk-fed veal. I think that rose veal has a bolder flavour and it is often reared to higher welfare standards than milk-fed veal.

Do I have to add the anchovies?

No, and this recipe still tastes great without them.

However, I use them a lot in sauces, soups and stews. They do not add a strong fishy anchovy flavour, they add a deep richness and they turn the flavour all the way up to 11.

What white wine do you use?

Any unoaked dry white wine will see you well in this recipe, I usually use a pinot grigio… mainly because my wife claims the leftovers.

Can I make this in advance?

No, this recipe does not reheat very well at all, the meat can become tough and occasionally a little “slimy”.

Fortunately, this dish can be cooked and prepared in 20-25 minutes, so you do not spend long in the kitchen.

Serving Suggestions

I so often see veal scallopini piccata served with a side of plain buttered or olive oil pasta, which does not work for me personally.

The sentiment behind the pairing is good though. The sharp piccata sauce and the subtle almost sweet veal shouldn’t be masked with strongly flavoured side dishes.

In these pictures, I have paired it with buttered parsley potatoes and carrots.

It would work equally well with a host simply cooked vegetable side dishes.

When it comes to potatoes, something like my crushed roasted new potatoes or crispy fried potatoes would be perfect.

You could also add greens, my old favourite roasted tenderstem broccoli or green beans amandine would both be perfect.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
• Kitchen tongs and a large spatula.
• Choppin board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Citrus zester.
• Cling film and a rolling pin if your veal needs bashing.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.