Scaloppine al Limone

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 16 minutes

Servings: 4

Origin

• Region: Universal / Commonly associated with Northern Italy

• Historical Context: A cornerstone of Italian home cooking and everyday trattoria menus, embodying the classic European technique of pan-deglozing to create instant sauces.

Description

Delicate, thinly sliced veal or pork medallions that are lightly dredged in flour, pan-seared in olive oil, and served in a bright, silky pan sauce made from fresh lemon juice, white wine, and melted butter.

Presentation

Arranged cleanly on a flat plate, with the smooth lemon-butter sauce spooned over the meat. Garnish with a few thin slices of fresh lemon and a dust of minced flat-leaf parsley.

Ingredients

• 8 veal or pork loin cutlets (approx. 60g each, cut thin)

• 50g all-purpose flour (for dredging)

• 30ml extra virgin olive oil

• 40g unsalted butter (divided)

• 80ml dry white wine

• 60ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 15ml cold water mixed with 1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Pound and Season: Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten them gently with a meat mallet to a uniform thickness of 1/4 inch. Season both sides with salt and white pepper.

2. Flour Dredge: Dredge each cutlet lightly through the flour, tapping the edges firmly against your hand to shake off all loose, excess flour.

3. Sear the Meat: Heat the olive oil along with 15g of the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, lay the cutlets down in a single layer. Sear for exactly 1.5 to 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and sear the second side for another 1 minute. Transfer the meat to a warm plate.

4. Deglaze the Pan: Pour the dry white wine and fresh lemon juice into the empty hot skillet. Bring to a rapid boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the caramelized sediment left behind by the floured meat.

5. Reduce and Thickened: Let the liquid boil down by half (about 2 minutes). Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 25g of cold butter piece by piece, swirling the skillet continuously to create a smooth sauce.

6. Glaze: Slide the cooked cutlets back into the bubbling lemon sauce along with any juices left on the plate. Simmer for 1 minute to coat the meat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Optional Variations

• Scaloppine ai Funghi: Substitute the lemon juice with sliced porcini mushrooms sautéed in the pan juices before deglazing with white wine and a splash of stock.

Cooking Tips

• Do not let the sauce boil after you add the final pieces of cold butter; high heat will break the delicate emulsion into separate fat and liquid layers.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 290 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 5g

• Protein: 26g

• Fat: 16g

• Saturated Fat: 7g

• Cholesterol: 95mg

• Sodium: 420mg