Voila!

It’s like we’re in a restaurant, Dahrling.

That’s how it feels at my comfy kitchen table when Veal Piccata is on the menu.

I always have boatloads of lemons on hand as well as garlic, shallots, capers, white wine and fresh parsley, so the time was right for Veal Piccata and me and The Husband.

Alongside, I made a fab Lemon Spaghettini.

It is so one of my fav pasta dishes. The Husband digs it, too. It’s so lemony and spicy and fresh all at the same time.

I also served an arugula salad, because we always have a veg going on with dinner. House rules. I just dress my arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and peppa and call it a day.

Veal Piccata
1 lb. thinly sliced veal
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp. capers
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter for sautéing veal; 1 Tbsp. butter for sauce

In a wide shallow dish, place flour.

Season both sides of the veal pieces with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the veal in the flour.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Quickly cook as much veal that will fit comfortably in your pan on both sides. This should take four to five minutes total. Remove veal from pan to a reserved plate. Repeat with the remaining butter, olive oil and veal. Remove veal from pan to the reserved plate.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Add garlic and shallots and sauté until fragrant, scraping up the brown bits on the pan with a flat wooden spoon, about two or three minutes.

Once the garlic and shallots are soft and glistening, add the wine. Bring to a bubble and cook until reduced by about half.

Add the broth, lemon juice, capers. Taste. Season with salt and pepper, if you desire. Let mixture simmer for a few minutes. Sauce should slightly reduce and slightly thicken. After simmering for about five minutes, return veal to the mixture. Coat veal in sauce and cook for two to three more minutes.

Top with chopped parsley.

Serve immediately.

Lemon Spaghettini
(Makes three to four side-dish servings)

½ lb. spaghettini
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 fat garlic cloves, sliced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 to 3 ladles of pasta water
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh grated parmesan, to serve

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghettini according to pasta box instructions.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Saute garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes for about three minutes.

Add cream or half and half,  lemon juice, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add a ladle or two of pasta water.

Using a spider ladle, remove pasta from the pot and place directly in sauce. Toss until coated. Add parsley and basil. Toss again. Cook for another minute or two in the sauce. If you want your sauce saucier, add some of the reserved pasta water. Drizzle with olive oil.

Serve immediately with fresh parmesan cheese.