Veal Cutlets with Scotch Whiskey Pan Sauce

In a Hurry, Fit for Company

The key to moist and tender veal cutlets is to cook them very quickly in hot fat so that they do not lose their juices. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook them in 2 batches and then rewarm them briefly once the pan sauce is finished. The sauce has a lovely undertone of smoke from the wee dram of scotch and the smoky Spanish paprika. Once you master the simple technique in this basic recipe, you can vary the sauce to your heart’s content. I have suggested two other sauces that work equally well.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

SPANISH TARRAGON RUB:

• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika (pimentón de la Vera; see Sources)
• 1¼ pounds ¼-inch-thick veal cutlets, cut from the leg or sirloin

PAN SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, or all olive oil, plus more as needed
• ½ pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or scallion
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup scotch
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup homemade veal stock (see [>]) or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
• A few drops of Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rub: Mix together salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, tarragon, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the veal cutlets.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add half the butter and/or oil. Add 2 or 3 of the cutlets and cook until light brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a platter while you cook the remaining cutlets in batches, adding more butter and/or oil as needed (and removing them from the pan).
3. Sauce: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the mushrooms and shallot and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have exuded their liquid and begun to color lightly. Remove from the heat, carefully add the whiskey, and then ignite with a match or by slightly tipping the pan toward the flame. Return to the heat and shake the pan until the flames die down. Add the white wine and stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil until the liquid begins to thicken. Add the cream (if using) and reduce until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the Tabasco (if using). Return the veal cutlets to the pan and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprinkling of chervil.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Veal cutlets cut from the loin (which are even more expensive), bone-in or boneless veal chops cut ½ to ¾ inch thick (increase the cooking time to 3 minutes per side), or ¼-inch-thick pork cutlets from the loin or sirloin.

COOK’S NOTE:

• If you would like an extra hit of tarragon, garnish the veal with 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon instead of chervil or parsley