Crispy Veal Chops with Strawberry & Kale Salad

The veal cutlets prior to slicing for guests.

Is there anything more synonymous with spring than veal?

Before everyone jumps at my throat, the veal cutlets featured in this recipe were sourced from a cooperative of small-scale veal farms in Southwest France that raise Charolais and Limousin breeds of cattle (known for meat, not dairy) and follow the stringent European Union 5 Freedoms system to provide the best environment for the calves, which are never caged or penned and are free of antibiotics and hormones. If you’re wondering what veal tastes like, think of the most tender, succulent steak you’ve ever had without the dense, irony taste of mature beef. Thank you to Dartagnan Foods for gifting these delicious veal chops.

I wanted to add more springtime ingredients to the dinner party menu so I decided to incorporate strawberries from Plant City, Florida. We are lucky enough to have a very strong strawberry growing season from December to April with the peak being March. When I am shopping for strawberries, I look for berries that are red all the way up to the steam, no green spots. I incorporated strawberries into the kale salad as well as the balsamic-based dressing.

When preparing for dinner parties, try and get as much stuff done as you can in advance. I prepped everything so that all I needed to do was fry the veal chops and toss the salad when my guests arrived. In cooking school, we called this work mise en place, or everything in its place. It makes everything so much easier on the host. Also, I am a big fan of incorporating the guests into the last minute cooking so that everyone can learn a bit along the way. For this dinner party, I was hosting my brother and mother so I got them involved with panfrying the veal chops with me. Cooking alongside me is a great way for them to contribute, plus, it’s a way to engage in great conversations.

Serves 4

Ingredients for Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

• 8 oz strawberries, cleaned and sliced

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of honey

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Ingredients for Strawberry & Kale Salad

• 1 large bunch of kale, Lacinato or dinosaur

• 8 oz strawberries, cleaned and sliced

• 1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

• Vinegar for macerating the shallots

Ingredients for Frying Veal Chops

• 4 veal chops, around 8 oz each, D’artagnan Foods brand preferred

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 eggs

• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Kosher salt to taste

• Canola or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Directions for Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a blend or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a container and set inside the fridge so the flavors can meld together.

Directions for Strawberry & Kale Salad

1. Strip the leaves from the stalks of the kale. Thoroughly wash and spin-dry. Kale is an incredibly dirty leafy green so you may need to wash several times.

2. Cover your shallots in vinegar and allow to sit for a few minutes. You can add them to your salad just before tossing.

3. When you’re ready, combine all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl with a few tablespoons of your dressing. I like to season as I toss the salad so I do not risk overdressing it. You may prefer to use more dressing. This salad will hold for hours but try to serve as soon as you dress it for the best effect.

Directions for Frying the Chops

1. Set up a breading station with flour, whisked eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs. I like to season the flour with the smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders, and salt. It is important to also season the egg mixture and Panko bread crumbs with a bit of salt.

2. Preheat a frying pan of oil to 350-degrees. I like shallow frying chops or cutlets so you will only need about 1-inch of oil. Additionally, I like to preheat my oven to 200-degrees in order keep the chops warm as I fry in batches.

3. Pound each chop with a mallet or heavy pan until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Season with kosher salt as well. Then, dip each chop into the flour, eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs.

4. Fry chops on each side for 3-4 minutes. They should be golden brown. Remove and immediately salt with more kosher salt or flakey sea salt. If you need more than a few minutes to fry the remaining chops, you can stick them into the warming oven.

5. Serve the warm chops with your freshly tossed salad and enjoy!