I never learned how to make a proper veal piccata until recently. Garlic, butter, white wine, lemon, capers - how tough could it be? Not very. My wing-it version was pretty tasty.

Now it's better.

Best Damn Veal Piccata Ever

We're going to make this for two people, because there's something romantic about eating baby animal flesh that's been pounded really thin.

You'll need:

3 or 4 slices (12-16 ounces) veal scaloppini. (Yes, you could use chicken breasts. But why?)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 cup veal stock. (Expensive, hard to find, and so worth it. Just use chicken stock or broth if you don't want the bother.)
1/2 cup dry sherry. That's right - dry sherry.
Juice of one lemon, or 1.5 if it isn't very ripe.
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced.
3 tablespoons capers, drained.
3 tablespoons butter.
Some fresh parsley, chopped.
Some lemon zest.
Some flour.
Some fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Salt & pepper.

Pat the veal dry, and dredge it in flour seasoned with salt & pepper. Turn the oven on "warm" and have a baking sheet handy.

In a large skillet, bring the olive oil and 1/3rd of the butter to medium-high heat. (The butter isn't part of the classic recipe, but I find it helps brown the veal better.) Brown the veal for about one minute or so on each side, turning once. Place on the baking sheet and stick in the oven.

Drain the oil out of the pan, and return to the stove. Sauté the garlic for a few seconds, then pour in the sherry. Bring to a boil and reduce by about a third. Add the veal stock and reduce again. Now stir in the capers and lemon juice. Bring it to a boil, then whisk in the remaining butter to "finish" the sauce.

Take the veal out of the oven (don't forget to turn it off, like I did last week), and put it in the skillet just long enough for the sauce to coat it. Serve on dinner plates, pouring any extra sauce on top. Garnish with the parsley, Parm-Reg, and lemon zest -- and in that order. Season with salt & pepper if you think it needs it.

Serve with (or on top of) lightly olive-oiled, nested tagliatelle and whatever green veggie looks fresh.

I suppose you should drink some nice white wine with this dish, but I'm not much of a white drinker. Instead, try a lighter, fruitier red like Gamay.