Veal Marsala Recipe

Prep veal

Pat the veal cutlets dry with paper towels. If not already thin, place between plastic wrap and gently pound to about 1/8" (3 mm). Season both sides with 1 tsp of the salt and the black pepper.

Dredge

Place the 3 tbs flour on a wide plate and lightly dredge each cutlet, shaking off excess. Reserve remaining flour for later use (if needed to dust mushrooms).

Brown veal

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil. When foaming, add 3 cutlets (do not overcrowd) and cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side until golden-brown; they will cook quickly. Transfer to a warm plate and tent with foil. Add remaining 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil and brown remaining cutlets in the same way. Keep all veal warm while making the sauce.

In the same skillet over medium heat, add the sliced mushrooms. If pan is dry, add a drizzle (about 1 tbs) of olive oil. Saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally, 4–6 minutes until they release moisture and begin to brown. Season lightly with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

Add the chopped shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. If mushrooms absorbed all pan fond and the pan is dry, add 2 tbs dry white wine or chicken stock to deglaze and scrape browned bits from the bottom.

Raise heat to medium-high. Pour in 1 cup Marsala wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the pan to release any browned fond. Reduce the wine by about half, 3–5 minutes, to concentrate flavor.

Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock and simmer another 3 minutes to marry flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning; add remaining 1/2 tsp salt only if needed.

If you prefer a richer, silkier sauce, stir in 2 tbs heavy cream and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; simmer 1 minute. If sauce needs slight thickening, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a slurry, then whisk into the simmering sauce and cook 30–60 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Do not over-thicken—the sauce should coat the back of a spoon.

Return the veal cutlets and any accumulated juices to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce and mushrooms. Spoon sauce over the cutlets and warm through 1–2 minutes — do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Turn off heat and stir in 1 tbs unsalted butter (from the reserved butter, if used) and 2 tbs chopped parsley to finish the sauce, giving it a shiny gloss. Cover and rest 1 minute.

Place two veal cutlets per serving on warmed plates, spoon mushrooms and sauce over the top, and sprinkle with additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or polenta to absorb the sauce.