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Veal Cutlets (Cut from a leg of veal about)
428. Cutlets are cut from a leg of veal, about a third of an inch thick, and of such a size as may be preferred. Fry them in plenty of hot lard or dripping on the French plan, or, if the English is used, turn them quickly. Before putting them into the pan they are to be coated evenly with white of egg well beaten, using an egg-brush, and then dipping them in finely-powdered stale bread-crumb. They should be fried a delicate brown, and carefully drained from the fat. For gravy, some other meat must be had recourse to, as there is too little from veal in the frying-pan to make it of.
A plain Victorian breaded veal escalope, given in outline rather than in steps. Two details carry the dish: the cutlets are thin, and the fat must be hot before they go in.
- The cutA third of an inch is roughly 8 mm, which is a modern veal escalope or scallopini from the leg (top round or sirloin tip). If your slices are thicker, flatten them between sheets of plastic to an even thickness rather than pounding them ragged.
- French plan vs. EnglishThe recipe implies the "French plan" uses a generous depth of fat (hence no direction to turn), while "the English" uses less fat and one quick turn. No temperature or time is given; the fat should be hot enough that the crumb colours in the few minutes so thin a slice needs.
- Lard or drippingBoth are still sold and both give the cleanest flavour here. Clarified butter or a neutral oil will do; whole butter will burn at frying heat.
- Egg white onlyThe recipe specifies beaten white of egg, not whole egg, which sets into a thinner, crisper shell and browns less. An egg-brush is simply a pastry brush; brushing rather than dipping keeps the coating even on so thin a slice.
- Stale crumbFinely powdered stale white bread, sieved, not the coarse dried orange crumb sold in tubs. Grate or blitz day-old bread and pass it through a sieve. Fresh soft crumb holds too much moisture and goes patchy.
- Why no pan gravyThe instruction to fetch gravy from other meat is sound: lean leg veal in a frying pan releases almost no fond, and the coating absorbs what little fat-borne flavour there is. Use a good brown veal or chicken stock reduced separately, or serve with lemon.
- DonenessVeal escalopes are cooked through in a few minutes and dry out quickly after that. Pull them when the crumb is a light even brown and drain on a rack, not on paper, so the underside stays crisp.
- YieldNo quantity is given. Allow two cutlets of about 3 oz each per person, and fry in batches so the fat temperature does not drop.