Veal Escalope With Caponata Recipe | Food

Gordon Ramsay

Date Published:: 04/09/2007

Watch Gordon prepare this veal recipe

Gordon Ramsay and his brigade of amateur chefs served this recipe as a main course to diners in the F Word restaurant.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Veal

100g natural breadcrumbs
50g finely grated parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
4 British rose veal escalope, about 170g each and 5mm thick
50g plain flour, seasoned
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp olive oil
Handful of torn basil leaves
50g toasted pine nuts

The caponata

5 tbsp olive oil
1 aubergine, cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
5 large tomatoes, skinned and deseeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp caster sugar
1–11/2 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
100g green olives, pitted and sliced
50g capers, rinsed and drained

Lemon linguine

300g fresh linguine
150ml chicken stock
125g unsalted butter, chilled
Grated zest and juice of ½ a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of chopped parsley

Method: How to make veal escalope with caponata

1. Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and some seasoning.

2. To breadcrumb the veal, press both sides of each escalope into the flour and shake off any excess. Dip into the egg then press into the breadcrumb mix on both sides. Repeat this twice if necessary to get an even coating.

3. Heat the oil in a wide pan and fry the veal over high heat for 11/2 minutes on each side until golden brown. (Do this in two batches if your pan is not wide enough).

4. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan and sauté the aubergine, onion, celery and red pepper with some seasoning over a high heat for about 5 minutes.

5. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and to the pan along with the garlic, sugar, vinegar, olives and capers. Cook over high heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the aubergine is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning, set to one side.

6. Cook the linguine in plenty of salted water for a minute or two until al dente. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.

7. Pour the stock into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Cut the butter into small cubes. Add the lemon zest then gradually whisk the butter into the stock, adding it piece by piece, while whisking vigorously, until completely emulsified. Add lemon juice and seasoning to taste.

8. Add 1-2 tbsp water to the emulsion and heat through. Check for seasoning. Throw the pasta into the pan to reheat in the lemony buttery water for 1-2 minutes, then drain well. Return the pasta to the pan and toss in the parsley.

9. To serve: Using a large fork, wind one-quarter of the linguine around the prongs of the fork, then slip off on to the centre of warm plates. Spoon the caponata over the pasta then sit the veal on top. Sprinkle over the toasted pinenuts and torn basil leaves and serve immediately.