Veal Marsala Recipe

Prep veal

Pat the veal scallopini dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge each veal piece, shaking off excess. Set aside on a plate uncovered so the coating dries slightly.

Rehydrate porcini

Place dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and pour 1 cup of hot (not boiling) water over them. Let soak 20–30 minutes until softened. Remove porcini from liquid with a slotted spoon, reserve liquid, and roughly chop the porcini. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter to remove grit and reserve 3–4 tbsp of the strained liquid to add to the sauce; discard the rest or use later as stock.

Prep pasta and vegetables

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. Trim and prepare the vegetable (asparagus or other). If roasting vegetables, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C); toss vegetables with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast 10–15 minutes until tender-crisp. If steaming, steam until bright and tender (4–6 minutes).

Heat a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When shimmering and butter foaming, add the dredged veal in a single layer (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Sear veal 1–1.5 minutes per side until golden but still tender — do not overcook. Transfer seared veal to a warm plate and tent with foil.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter to the pan. Add minced shallot and sauté 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add sliced fresh mushrooms and sauté 4–5 minutes until they release liquid and start to brown. Add the rehydrated porcini (chopped) and sauté 1–2 minutes to combine flavors.

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow the Marsala to reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock and 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved porcini soaking liquid (not all if very strong) and bring to a gentle simmer. Let reduce about 3–4 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

Return the seared veal to the skillet, spooning some sauce and mushrooms over each piece. Warm the veal in the sauce for 1–2 minutes — do not boil or overcook. Finish with 1 tsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped parsley, stirring to distribute.

While finishing the sauce, cook the pasta in the boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

If you prefer the pasta tossed with some sauce: add the drained pasta to the skillet or a separate pan, add a few spoonfuls of the Marsala cream sauce and up to 2 tbsp reserved pasta water to loosen, toss to coat.

Plate: place a portion of pasta on each plate (or on the side), arrange 3–4 veal scallopini per serving over or beside the pasta, spoon mushrooms and sauce generously over the veal, and add the steamed or roasted vegetable alongside. Sprinkle additional parsley and freshly ground black pepper as desired.