Veal Scallops with Eggplant and Tomato
This recipe takes time but is worth the effort for a nice meal, especially for guests. The savory sauce made with classic Sauce Espagnole, mushrooms, tomatoes, and prosciutto pairs well with sliced eggplant. Boneless Chicken Breast makes a fine substitute for the veal.Based on a recipe from 5 Star Sensations, Carl Quagliata, 1991, The Auxiliary of University Hospitals of Cleveland.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 12 slices eggplant 1/4" thick, skinned, salted and pressed 1 hour
- 6 tablespoons clarified butter
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2½ pounds veal scallops 1/4" thick and pounded thin, boneless chicken breasts may be substituted
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons diced shallots
- 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
- 6 thin slices prosciutto julienned
- 3/8 teaspoon fine herbs
- 3/4 cup Madeira
- 28 ounce canned no-sodium peeled plum tomatoes seeded and julienned ¼" wide, discard juices
- 2 cups Espagnole sauce glace de viande or other thick, beef sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
Eggplant
- Pat dry and lightly flour pressed eggplant.
- See note about trying out oven roasting eggplant. Heat 2 tablespoons each of the clarified margarine and olive oil in a medium-size skillet until a light haze forms over it. Add the dusted eggplant, salt and pepper to taste and brown on each side. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
Meat
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly flour veal scallops, place in skillet, season with black pepper. Turn when lightly brown on first side. Continue cooking until slightly underdone. Remove to warm platter.
Sauce
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to empty skillet, add shallots, mushrooms, prosciutto, and fine herbs and saute for 5 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked. Add Madeira over high heat and deglaze pan. Add sliced tomatoes and Sauce Espagnole, bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings. Return meat to pan, stirring to evenly coat and heat through. Remove from heat. Arrange eggplant slices on plate and top with meat and sauce and sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
Make the Sauce Espagnole in advance.
Serve with pasta, such as farfalle.
Method of cooking eggplant is time consuming and the result is greasy. Try slicing and broiling in oven on a baking sheet, lightly sprayed with oil.