Veal Pannee
It seems that no known food tastes bad panneed. Panneed veal, which everyone in New Orleans grew up eating, is so easy to prepare that it must have brightened the hearts of chefs and restaurateurs when it became popular in restaurants in the late 1970s. (Before that, strangely, it was almost never seen on a menu.) I personally prefer to apply this recipe to pork. The technique is the same.
The word "pannee" is spelled a number of ways--the variations involved different combinations of one or two n's and e's. Different people pronounce it differently, too. A strange but widespread New Orleans version--one I remember from childhood--comes out "pie-nayed." The origin of the word has to do with either the pan in which pienayed dishes are cooked, or the breading that's part of the recipe (from the French word for bread, "pain.")
- 8 large slices of veal leg, cut across the grain
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. salt-free Creole seasoning
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated bread crumbs
- Canola or olive oil
- Fresh chopped parsley
1. Pound the veal between two pieces of waxed paper until each piece is about twice its original size.
2. Mix the salt and Creole seasoning into the flour, and lightly dust (don't dredge!) the veal.
3. Pass the veal through the beaten egg. Shake off the excess. Then dredge through the bread crumbs.
4. Heat about a half-inch of oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron is perfect) over medium-high fire, until a pinch of bread crumbs fries vigorously. Cook the veal, as many pieces as will fit without overlapping, for about a minute and a half per side, or until the exterior is golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Serve garnished with parsley, with pasta Alfredo or pasta bordelaise on the side.
Serves four.
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