A succulent and super tasty meat thanks to a marinade of aromatic herbs, mustard, garlic, and lemon, all giving this dish that intense flavor. This is the steak of the curate, an Umbrian tradition of preparing veal. The escalope are prepared and served with all their marinating, accompanied by mashed potatoes or spinach sautéed in butter.
The right cuts of meat
For this recipe, the most suitable part of the veal is the nut or rump. Both are parts of the animal's thigh, an area very rich in muscle fibers, without fat. For this reason, the steaks are also lean and especially tender. Steaks often also use the fillet, a very tender part found on the back. It’s a relatively small section and one slice corresponds to an individual portion, even if cut thicker.
Marinating, the method for soft and flavorsome food
Originally, the term "marinade" meant soaking in seawater, in other words in brine. Now other liquids are used to flavor or "cook" meat or fish that is destined to be served raw, including oil, vinegar (in scapece or saor), wine and lemon together with aromatic herbs, garlic, and onion. Marinating meat produces three effects: thanks to the oily components of marinating, it facilitates the penetration of the acidic components into the muscle fibers resulting in softening them. The meat acquires more aroma and finally, it keeps better because marinating prolongs the maturation without risk of it changing.
Marinated Veal Steak recipe – Umbrian style
Ingredients
8 slices of veal, about 450 g, 50 g raw ham, 3 salted anchovies, 1 chicken liver, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoons capers, 1/2 lemon, garlic, sage, mint, pepper, rosemary, extra virgin olive oil.
Method
First you wash and clean the anchovies, then chop them. Also chop the ham and chicken liver, capers, and garlic. Put everything in a baking pan, add the oil, mustard, lemon juice and its rind, pepper, sage and all the aromatic herbs. Then arrange the slices of meat and let them marinate for an hour. After this time, transfer the meat with its marinade in a pan and cook it for ten, fifteen minutes, turning it over and over until it is golden brown. Serve the steaks on a serving plate with all their sauce. For a few more tips on preparing this delicious Umbrian style veal steak take a look at the tutorial.