It doesn't take a master chef to cook veal steaks. Saute thin steaks -- sometimes called scallopini -- and serve them with a savory sauce; grill or roast thicker steaks. You might think that veal is too expensive, but it's not if you calculate the per-serving price rather than the price per pound. Veal steaks have little waste due to fat and bones. Add a salad and some crunchy bread to complete the meal.
Thin Veal Steaks
Place the veal steaks in the freezer for about 30 minutes until the meat is firm, but not frozen. Cut the veal steaks no thicker than 1/2 inch, and slice them into portions about 4 inches in diameter.
Lay plastic wrap on a cutting board. Put the veal steak on the plastic and cover it with another sheet of plastic. Starting at the center, pound the steak with a meat tenderizer mallet until the steak becomes 1/4-inch thick.
Season flour with your choice of salt, pepper, oregano, basil and onion powder or other spices and herbs. Put the seasoned flour in a shallow bowl.
Dredge the veal through the seasoned flour.
Dip the steak into beaten eggs and then through the flour mixture. Put it on a plate.
Pour enough cooking oil in a saute pan to cover the bottom with 1/4 inch of oil. The saute pan should be large enough to hold all the the steaks without crowding. If you don't have one large enough, cook the steaks in batches. Turn the heat to medium-high. The oil is ready when it shimmers.
Brown the steaks on both sides. The thin veal cutlet won't take longer than 4 to 5 minutes to cook through. Remove it from the pan.
Add a splash of wine or fruit juice to deglaze the pan and create a sauce for the veal. Use marsala wine and add mushrooms to create veal marsala.
Grilled Thick Veal Steaks
Take the steaks out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking, so the meat can come to room temperature. Season the veal steaks with your favorite spices, but use them sparingly because you don't want to overpower the veal's delicate flavor.
Wipe down the grill's cooking grate with oil. Light the grill. When the charcoal is covered with gray ash, it's ready. It should be very hot. Hold your hand 4 inches above the grill's cooking grate. You shouldn't be able to hold it there for more than a second or two.
Place the steaks on the grill. Flip the steaks over halfway through the grilling time. For example, a 1 1/2-inch thick veal steak reaches rare in 12 to 16 minutes and medium in 20 to 22 minutes.