Veal Parmesan

Ingredients

• 8 thin veal cutlets, about 2 1/2 ounces each
• Essence, recipe follows
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta or 3 strips bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsely
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• Parmesan
• 8 ounces mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Cover a work surface with plastic wrap. Space the cutlets evenly on the plastic, leaving a 3-inch space between each cutlet. Cover all the veal with another piece of plastic. Using a meat mallet, pound the cutlets to an 1/8-inch thickness. Lightly season the veal on both sides with Essence, salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with 1 tablespoon of Essence. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl and season with 1 tablespoon of Essence. Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl. Dredge the flattened veal chops in the seasoned flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg wash, and then coat both sides with the breadcrumbs. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the veal until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate. Add the pancetta to the pan and fry in the remaining fat. Remove from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the puree, the basil, parsley, oregano, and dried red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the cooked pancetta. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Arrange the cooked veal cutlets on top of the sauce, spooning sauce over each one. Top each cutlet with a sprinkling of Parmesan, then with a slice of mozzarella. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the veal is tender and the cheese melts, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately, 2 cutlets person, with herbed egg noodles.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.