Giada’s Veal Marsala and Peas & Proscuitto

I love Giada!  Much like the Barefoot Contessa, her recipes have never steered me wrong.  Italian food is what I love most and Italy is my favorite country to visit.  Giada, born in Rome, has made delicious Italian home cooking accessible to everyone.  Her recipes are always incredibly flavorful but never overly complicated or fussy.  Plus, she genuinely seems like someone I would want to be friends with.

I am a little jealous of her amazing figure and what I can only imagine as her very well-appointed closet and home (her husband is the Creative Director for Anthropologie).

The other weekend Tim and I had a delicious meal courtesy of Giada.  Even though I don’t make it very often, we both love veal.  When I was at my gourmet market in the Berkshires, they had some beautiful veal cutlets so I decided to make veal marsala.  Her recipe is simple and delicious.  If you like veal and mushrooms, this really cannot be beat!

For a side dish I made her Peas and Proscuitto.  So quick, easy and flavorful!  The sweet peas and the salty proscuitto are a great combination!  I bet even my mom who hates peas would enjoy it!  This side dish is going to become a staple.

Buon Appetito! Tweet

Veal Marsala
Giada DeLaurentiis

•     8 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each)
•     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•     2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•     2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
•     1 large shallot, finely chopped
•     2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
•     2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
•     1/2 cup sweet Marsala
•     3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
•     Leaves from 1 fresh rosemary sprig

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 veal cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter and oil, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Set the cutlets aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary leaves. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the veal to the skillet. Pour in all of the pan juices. Cook just until heated through, turning to coat, about 1 minute. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using tongs, transfer the veal to plates. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

Serves 4.

Peas & Proscuitto
Giada DeLaurentiis

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 shallots chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb frozen pea thawed
• 8 oz prosciutto diced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve.