How do I get from Claude Monet's La Chasse to this succulent little dish? Well with remarkable ease and without ever having been called upon to leap tall buildings in a single bound. For me, what's key to this recipe is the white wine–based "hunter's sauce" which has that zingy flavor to it which I think marries well with mild-tasting meats and lean cuts, such as chicken or veal "paillard" —cutlets that have been pounded within an inch of their lives until they're very thin and too weak to resist. Paillard is an old French culinary term referring to a quick-cooking, thinly sliced or pounded piece of meat.In France, it has been largely replaced by the word escalope and in this case, escalope de veau. That's progress for you.
Now back here in the good 'ol U.S. of A, this particular cut is known simply as “scallop.” But wait there's more! Some of you sleuths may have deduced by now that the term escalope originated in France. In fact it first appeared in cookery terminology late in the 17th century as a local dialect expression in northeast rural France meaning shell or snail: veau à l'escalope (veal cooked in the style of an escalope.) Granted, I've given you more information than you ever really wanted but on the flip side think about your next cocktail party when conversations lull or guests get duller as the evening progresses, you can pick things right up with "did you all know that the word scallop is a French word dating back to the 17th Century?" It's a crowd pleaser for sure! Don't bother thanking me, I'm just here to help. That's what I do.
A parting factoid about the "Sauce Chasseur" or Hunter's Sauce. The sauce is your basic brown sauce that's used freequently in French cuisine. Typically made with shallots, mushrooms, tomatoes and spices. Apparently, when returning from the hunt and their champagne was finished, hunters would pick mushrooms that would eventually find their way into the sauce. And that's how got from Monet's painting to this recipe.
Veal Paillard with Chasseur Sauce
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 1⁄4"-thick veal cutlets (about 1 1⁄2 lbs.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
8 button mushrooms, sliced (champignons de Paris -ideal)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1⁄4 cup brandy
5 tbsp. Demi-Glace
2 tbsp. minced tarragon
Preparation:
Sear the cutlets: Season veal with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook half of the cutlets until edges are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Divide veal between 2 plates; cover with foil. Wipe out skillet; repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.
Make the sauce: Return skillet to medium-high heat; heat 2 tbsp. butter. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook until browned, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat; add wine and brandy. Cook until reduced by half, 2–3 minutes. Whisk in demi-glace, butter, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 2–4 tbsp. sauce over veal; garnish with torn tarragon, if you like. Yields about 1 cup sauce.
Now about those wines:
2010 Domaine Joseph Mellot Pouilly-Fume, Loire Valley
2010 Domaine Joseph Mellot Chinon, Loire Valley
2011 Domaine Christian Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc
1999 Meursault Vieux Clos du Château de Cîteaux
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV, Champagne, France
Veuve Clicquot Brut, Champagne, France
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