Recipe
September 8, 2023
Ask A Chef: The Executive Chef For Buca Restaurants Shares The Recipe For Piccata Di Vitello
Jorge Fiestas, executive chef for Buca restaurants, shares the secret to an Italian classic.
Q: I recently went to Cucina Buca in Toronto and the Piccata Di Vitello with lemon and capers transported me to Italy. Can you get the recipe? — LYDIA, Toronto
A: Jorge was looking for Italian recipes that were simple and delicious when Cucina Buca opened late last year. He came across this classic Milanese veal dish. “We’ve stuck to the traditional Italian version, which isn’t overly complicated and creates a special blend of flavours,” says Jorge. The piccata sauce gets a touch of sweetness from white wine, acidity from lemon, salt from capers and added richness from plenty of butter. It’s a perfectly balanced dish.
Directions
Yield: Serves 2
Prepare Veal
- Wrap veal striploin in plastic wrap and use small pot to pound meat until paper thin. Be careful to stop before there are any holes in meat. Divide veal into two equal portions.
- In small bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper together. Dust each portion of veal in flour mixture, lightly covering both sides.
Sear Veal and Prepare Sauce
- Set out all ingredients in correctly measured amounts.
- In large pan on medium-high heat, melt half of butter, then add veal and sear lightly. You should aim for veal to not have any colour; it’s finished when there is no longer any redness on meat. Repeat on opposite side, then remove from pan and set aside.
- Pour white wine into same pan to deglaze, about 1 minute. Add remaining butter until mixture comes together as a sauce and butter is completely melted.
- Add capers and chopped parsley, and stir to combine. Add squeeze of lemon to sauce, to taste. Plate and pour sauce over veal. Enjoy!