Another (Veal Cutlets)

Ingredients

• 4 cutlets Veal cutlets (Each cutlet should be approximately half an inch (1.25 cm) thick. Ask your butcher to prepare them to this thickness if needed.)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh herbs (Use soft-leafed herbs such as parsley, thyme, or marjoram. They will be finely chopped.)
• 4 tablespoons Breadcrumbs (Fine, dry breadcrumbs work best for coating the cutlets evenly.)
• 2 yolks Egg yolk (Lightly beaten. These act as the binding agent to help the breadcrumb coating adhere to the cutlets.)
• 3 tablespoons Ghee (For frying the cutlets. Ghee has a high smoke point and adds a rich, nutty flavour.)
• 2 tolahs (approximately 23 g / 1.5 tablespoons) Fresh butter (One tolah is approximately 11.7 g, so two tolahs is roughly 23 g or 1.5 tablespoons. Softened to room temperature.)
• 0.5 lemon (zest only) Lemon peel, grated (Use only the outer yellow layer of the lemon skin — avoid the bitter white pith beneath. A fine grater or microplane works well.)
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (Use freshly grated nutmeg if possible, or a small pinch of ground nutmeg.)
• 1 tablespoon Flour (Plain all-purpose flour, used to thicken the pan sauce.)
• 4 tablespoons Water or gravy (A little water or any light meat gravy you have on hand will do. This forms the base of the pan sauce.)
• 8 rolls Thin rolls of bacon (Take thin rashers of bacon and roll them up tightly. Secure with a toothpick if needed, then cook in the same pan or separately. These are used as a garnish.)

Instructions

1. 1Check that each veal cutlet is approximately half an inch (about 1.25 cm) thick. If any are thicker, place them between two sheets of baking paper or cling film and gently beat them with a rolling pin or the flat side of a heavy pan until they reach the correct thickness. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towel — this helps the egg and breadcrumb coating stick better.
2. 2Finely chop your chosen fresh herbs — aim for pieces as small as possible so they distribute evenly through the coating. Place the chopped herbs into a shallow bowl or plate with the breadcrumbs and mix them together thoroughly with a fork until well combined.
3. 3Lightly beat the egg yolks in a shallow bowl. One at a time, dip each veal cutlet into the beaten egg yolk, letting any excess drip off. Then press the cutlet firmly into the herb-breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly. Press the crumbs gently with your hand to help them adhere. Set the coated cutlets aside on a plate.
4. 4Heat the ghee in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the ghee is hot and shimmering (but not smoking), add the coated cutlets in a single layer — do not crowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary. Fry the cutlets, turning them often, until they are golden brown and cooked through. Veal cutlets at half an inch thick should take approximately 4–6 minutes per side depending on your heat. Once cooked, remove the cutlets from the pan and set aside on a warm plate. Do not discard the pan or its drippings — you will use it in the next step.
5. 5In a small bowl, combine the softened fresh butter, grated lemon peel, a pinch of nutmeg, and the flour. Mix them together with a fork until you have a rough paste. This mixture will be stirred into the pan to make a quick sauce. Note: this can be prepared while the cutlets are frying in step 4.
6. 6With the frying pan still on medium-low heat (the same pan used to fry the cutlets — keep any remaining drippings), pour in the water or gravy. Stir to lift any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, as these add flavour. Add the butter-flour-lemon-nutmeg mixture from step 5 and stir continuously until it melts into the liquid and the sauce thickens slightly. This should take 2–3 minutes. If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash more water or gravy.
7. 7Return the cooked cutlets to the frying pan with the sauce. Gently turn them in the sauce so they are well coated. Heat over low heat for 2–3 minutes until the cutlets are warmed through and have absorbed some of the sauce flavour. Do not let the pan boil vigorously or the coating may loosen.
8. 8To serve, pile the cutlets in the centre of a warm serving dish. Arrange the thin bacon rolls around the outside as a garnish. To prepare the bacon rolls: take thin rashers of bacon, roll each one tightly, and either cook them briefly in the same pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly crisped and holding their shape, or secure them with toothpicks before cooking if they unroll easily. Spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the cutlets and serve immediately.