Tag Archives: Capers

Veal Croquettes with Gnocchi Tossed in a Browned Butter-Sage Sauce

5 Replies

Veal_Croquettes (1 of 1)Last night I was in the mood for a good croquette dish, so I made this Italian version — so simple and delicious. The capers add a great touch! Wasn’t sure what to serve them with, but I ended up going with gnocchi in browned butter, flavored with sage leaves — the perfect complement! I hope you’ll try this wonderful combo tonight (or tomorrow night)!

2 Tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
1 lb ground veal
2 cloves garlic, very finely grated or minced
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups plain bread crumbs

1 16-oz package of potato gnocchi
4 Tbsp butter
20 fresh sage leaves
5 Tbsp chicken stock
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients (capers through black pepper) — do this with your hand to ensure ingredients are well-incorporated.

Shape mixture into 1 by 3-inch patties. Heat oil over high heat in a 12-inch skillet. Once oil is good and hot, dredge each patty in the bread crumbs, and gently slip into the oil. Cook patties until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove patties from pan with a slotted spoon to paper towels and let drain.

Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sage leaves and cook until butter begins to brown to a nice amber color (but don’t burn), about 4 minutes. Remove sage leaves to a paper towel. To the browned butter, and the gnocchi, chicken stock, pinch of salt, Parmesan cheese and cooked sage leaves. Gently toss to coat. Serve with the croquettes.

Serves 6.

Advertisement

Picadillo with Parsley-Herbed Rice

4 Replies

Picadillo1 (1 of 1)Picadillo is a flavorful, traditional dish served in Latin America. Its ingredients vary a bit from country to country, but most versions typically feature ground meat, chopped green bell peppers and onions. Mine is more of a Cuban variety, with ground beef, ground pork, peppers, onions, garlic, raisins, olives, capers and other ingredients, which provide for delicious sweet and sour flavors (“picadillo,” by the way, is derived from the Spanish picar, which means “to chop”). I hope you’ll give it a try!

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely grated or minced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb very lean, ground beef
1 lb very lean, ground pork
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp drained capers
1/4 cup red wine

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and green bell peppers, and saute for 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, beef and pork. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes (or until meat is no longer pink), stirring constantly to break meat up.

Add the rest of the ingredients (through red wine). Turn heat to high, stir and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour (stirring occasionally). Season to taste with salt and pepper (I added an additional 4 tsp salt, which seemed about right).

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. For the herbed-rice, follow my recipe for steamed jasmine rice, but add 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley at the beginning.

Serve warm picadillo with the rice.

Serves 8.

Chicken Piccata

6 Replies

Chicken PiccataI’m not sure why this dish makes me think of spring…maybe it’s the bright flavors of the lemon and capers? Not sure, but it’s such a nice, simple dish. I made it last night in celebration of the new season.

2 large chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs tot.), pounded to 1/4 inches in thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp white wine
1 1/4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp drained capers
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a 9 X 9 inch baking dish, combine flour, salt and pepper.

Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and place in the skillet. Saute 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from the skillet.

Add the wine, lemon juice, capers and parsley to the skillet and bring to a boil, then remove from heat after about 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly. Season with a bit of additional salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the chicken. I like to serve with either steamed white or wild rice, and a green vegetable, such as asparagus.

Serves 4.