Morel And Tarragon Veal Marsala Recipe
If you love your meat dishes wonderfully succulent and tender and smothered in deliciously rich and creamy sauces, then this morel and tarragon veal Marsala recipe is for you. You may have come across meat-based Marsala dishes before, that's because this dish is a popular American take on a classic Italian Scallopini recipe. Scallopini dishes are thin slices of meat often cooked in a wine-based sauce and can be found in varying forms throughout the culinary world, with different countries each giving their own spin on this winning combination.
The tried and tested blend of Marsala wine, mushrooms, and cream is truly a match made in heaven, and this version, created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye uses morel mushrooms and tarragon to further elevate this classic dish. Morels are at the luxury end of the mushroom scale and are known for their richly nutty flavor as well as their delicate and spongy texture. Very much a high-end choice, these mushrooms are highly sought after and often difficult to buy fresh, but thankfully can be bought in their dried form for use in dishes such as this one.
Soft in texture but rich in flavor, veal is the perfect accompaniment to this refined and flavorful Marsala sauce. Considered to be a delicacy, veal has had a rocky time ethically these past few decades. Fortunately, rearing practices have vastly improved, and consuming veal is also considered to be better for the environment than consuming beef. Together, the morels and the veal, create a luxurious and rich Marsala dish that's sure to impress anyone you serve it to.
Gather the ingredients for this morel and tarragon veal Marsala recipe
To make this morel and tarragon veal Marsala recipe, first you will want to gather the ingredients. You will require some beef stock, cooking oil, cream, butter, Marsala wine, Tarragon, morel mushrooms and, of course, some veal. It's likely you'll only be able to source dried morels, but if you can get your hands on some fresh ones, congratulations! If you have trouble getting your hands on tarragon, parsley is a decent substitute. And, if you have lingering reservations about cooking with veal, you can always swap out this meat cutlet and use beef, chicken, or turkey instead.
Rehydrate the morels
You may be lucky enough to get your hands on the fresh form these rare mushrooms, but if not, dehydrated is fine. To rehydrate the morels, simply soak them in the beef stock for 20 minutes. As well as rehydrating the mushrooms, this step has the added bonus of infusing the stock with even more flavor. Do this step first, so that while you are waiting for the mushrooms to rehydrate, you can make use of the time by preparing the other ingredients and starting to cook the other elements of this dish.
Pan fry the veal
To fry the veal, heat up a pan on a medium-high heat and add cooking oil. Season the veal before frying it in the pan for a minute or so either side, until it has gone a lovely golden brown color. Veal doesn't need too long in the pan, and as it will be returned to the sauce and cooked further at a later stage you won't want to overdo things now. As well as giving the veal a delicious caramelised flavor, this process also adds flavor to the pan which will deepen the taste of the resulting sauce.
Make the sauce
Remove the meat and set it to one side, and then drop the heat down to medium. Drain the morels using a sieve, reserving the beef stock for later on to build the sauce. Then add the butter to the pan and fry the mushrooms. Once they are darker in color, add the Marsala wine and the stock to gently deglaze the pan, lifting all the lovely caramelized flavors of the veal into the sauce.
Finish the dish
The final stage of this simple but decidedly decadent dish is to add the chopped tarragon and cream to the pan. Give everything a good stir and then add the veal cutlets and let everything gently simmer for a few minutes. Your morel and tarragon veal Marsala is ready to be served.
Marsala dishes are best paired with absorbent sides – something starchey that can soak up and carry the rich flavors of the dish. Rice is excellent choice, and mashed or roasted potatoes are also great options. Don't forget to include a simple side of green vegetables to cut through the richness of the dish; kale, green beans, or broccoli are all excellent accompaniments.
- 1 ounce dried morel mushrooms
- 1½ cups beef stock
- 1 pound veal escalopes
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup Marsala wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- Add the dried morel mushrooms to the hot beef stock and let them sit for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
- Meanwhile, heat up a large pan to a medium-high heat. Season the veal cutlets well with the salt and pepper. Add the cooking oil to the pan, and then cook the cutlets for 1 minute on each side. Remove the cutlets from the pan and set them to one side.
- Drain the morels from the beef stock, keeping the beef stock to one side for the sauce. Turn the heat of the pan down to medium. Add the butter to the pan and then add the morels, and fry until they begin to color.
- Add the Marsala wine to the pan, along with the beef stock, and let the morels cook for 5–10 minutes in the mixture, as well as deglazing the pan. Stir in the tarragon and the cream, and then return the veal cutlets to the pan. Allow everything to cook together for 5 minutes on a low-medium heat, and serve.
| Calories per Serving | 315 |
| Total Fat | 15.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.3 g |
| Cholesterol | 118.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 8.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Sodium | 259.8 mg |
| Protein | 27.3 g |
