Veal Scallopini with Blue Grapes & Pears
Inspired by classic Italian Scaloppine Con Uva, this autumn version pairs crisp, golden-seared veal scallopini with the sudden burst of sweet, blistered blue grapes and caramelized pears, all coated in a glossy, floral Gewürztraminer pan sauce. This refined single-skillet main course blends traditional Italian inspiration with local seasonal produce for a quick meal that feels right at home on a weekend dinner table.We start by quick-searing tender veal scallopini in a hot stainless-steel skillet, building a rich pan fond that becomes the base for our wine reduction. Joined by fragrant fresh thyme, buttery toasted hazelnuts, and bright lemon, this balanced dish proves that fast, high-heat cooking can deliver incredible depth with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
➡️Note on Scaling the Recipe: When scaling to 2X or 3X, the light grey ingredient notes and the instructions remain unchanged. Please adjust as needed.
Veal
- 12 oz Ontario veal (grain-fed) scallopini 340 g Ontario veal (grain fed) scallopini, cut from top round or tenderized knuckle
- ⅜ teaspoon Windsor kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging 30 g
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil divided if cooking in batches
- 2 teaspoon unsalted butter divided if cooking in batches
Ontario Blue Grapes & Pear
- 16 to 20 Ontario blue grapes 100 g to 120 g, preferably Jupiter or Coronation
- 1 medium Ontario pear Bartlett or Bosc, ripe but firm
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 small pinch kosher salt
Gewürztraminer Pan Sauce
- 2 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ⅔ cup Ontario Off-Dry Gewürztraminer VQA 160 ml
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken or veal stock 120 ml
- ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoon cold unsalted butter 42 g, cut into small cubes
To Finish
- 2 tablespoon skinned hazelnuts 15 g, roughly chopped
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Complete the Mise en Place
- Finely mince the shallot and pick the thyme leaves. Measure the wine, stock, and Dijon mustard. Cut the 3 tablespoon of cold butter into small cubes and return to the refrigerator until needed. Warm plates will also be needed before finishing the sauce.Once the veal enters the skillet, the remainder of the dish moves quickly, so the sauce ingredients should be measured and ready.
Prepare the Veal
- Check the thickness of the scallopini. If thicker than approximately ⅛ inch (3 mm), place between sheets of parchment paper and gently pound to an even thickness. Exceptionally large pieces can be divided into manageable serving portions, but do not cut the veal simply to achieve a particular number of scallopini.
- Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside while preparing the hazelnuts and fruit.
Toast the Hazelnuts
- Place the roughly chopped skinned hazelnuts in a dry 12½-inch stainless-steel skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer immediately to a plate to stop the cooking, let cool, then coarsely chop. Wipe the skillet clean.
Prepare the Fruit
- Stem, wash, and thoroughly dry the grapes.
- Core the unpeeled pear half and slice lengthwise into 6-8 slender wedges. Toss immediately with ½ teaspoon lemon juice.
Easy Pear Coring: Use a ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop out the pear's core in one clean motion without tearing the flesh.
Blister the Grapes & Caramelize the Pear
- Heat the skillet over medium-high heat with ½ teaspoon olive oil. Add the grapes and a tiny pinch of salt. Roll or shake for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy with light blister spots. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining ½ teaspoon olive oil to the hot skillet. Arrange the pear wedges on one cut side and cook undisturbed for 1½ minutes until golden. Turn and cook the second side for 1 to 1½ minutes until caramelized but still firm. Transfer to the plate with the grapes.
Note: Use appearance rather than time as the final test. The skins should be glossy with distinct blistered or lightly caramelized areas, while the grapes remain plump and intact.
Dredge & Sear the Veal
- Inspect the skillet. If fruit sugars have burned, wipe those spots clean while retaining usable caramelized fond.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Right before cooking, lightly dredge each piece of veal, shaking off all excess so only a transparent coating remains.
- Heat 2 teaspoon olive oil and 2 teaspoon butter in the skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. (Divide into 1 teaspoon each if cooking in two batches to avoid crowding).
- Add the veal in a single layer. Sear for 45 to 60 seconds on the first side until lightly golden, then flip and cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer immediately to a warm plate without covering tightly.
- The scallopini should be just cooked through and lightly golden. Do not prolong cooking simply to develop darker colour.
Build the Gewürztraminer Pan Sauce
- Reduce skillet heat to medium. Spoon off any heavy excess fat, leaving the browned fond intact.
- Add the shallot and cook for 45 to 60 seconds until translucent. Stir in the thyme leaves for 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the Gewürztraminer, increase the heat to medium-high and thoroughly scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release the browned fond into the wine.
- Bring to a lively simmer and reduce until roughly ⅓ cup (80 ml) remains.
- Whisk in the stock and Dijon. Simmer until the liquid reduces to approximately ½ cup (120 ml).
Note: The sauce should have developed body but should still look noticeably looser than the desired finished sauce. The cold butter added later will supply additional body and gloss. Do not continue reducing merely because the sauce does not yet look finished.
Finish, Glaze, and Plate
- Fill 2 serving plates, plus one for the pears and grapes, with hot tap water for 2 minutes to warm them, then pour out and dry thoroughly.
- Turn sauce heat to low and stir in 1½ teaspoon lemon juice. Taste the sauce; it should be savoury and bright. Add additional lemon juice ¼ teaspoon at a time if needed to balance any sweetness.
- If the sauce has accidentally reduced below the ½ cup target, correct the volume with a small amount of warm stock before adding the butter.
- Remove the skillet completely from the heat. Whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time to create a fluid, glossy emulsion (yielding about ⅔ cup sauce).
- Off the heat, add the pears and grapes to the pan sauce and gently toss for 15 to 20 seconds to warm and glaze them. Transfer the fruit to the warm plate.
- Pass the seared veal and its resting juices through the remaining pan sauce to coat, then arrange on the warm plates.
- Spoon the remaining sauce around the veal. Top each plate with 3-4 pear wedges and 8 to 10 grapes, 1 tablespoon toasted hazelnuts, fresh thyme leaves, and black pepper. Serve immediately.
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Notes
Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
- Mise en place (pronounced meez ahn plas) is a French culinary term that translates to “everything in its place.” It means prepping, measuring, chopping, and organizing all your ingredients and tools before you start cooking, so everything is ready to go the moment the pan hits the heat.
- Grain-Fed vs. Milk-Fed Veal: We developed this recipe using local Ontario grain-fed veal, which offers a slightly richer, beefier flavour and beautiful browning. If using milk-fed veal, reduce your sear time by 10 to 15 seconds per side, as its delicate cutlets cook remarkably fast!
- Temperature Control for Butter: Cold butter is essential for mounting the sauce (monter au beurre). Adding cold butter off the heat while whisking creates a silky emulsion. If the pan is over direct heat or boiling, the sauce will break and become greasy.
- Grape Varieties: Local Ontario Jupiter grapes offer a pronounced floral flavour that complements Gewürztraminer, while Coronation grapes provide a bright, traditional tartness. Keep them whole so they blister without releasing excess liquid into the pan.
- Pear Selection: Use firm, ripe pears. Bosc holds its shape exceptionally well during searing, while Bartlett delivers extra juiciness.
- Warm Plates Matter: Scallopini and pan sauce cool down quickly once plated. Warming your plates with hot water ensures the dish stays hot from the kitchen to the table.
- Serving Ideas: Serve this dish alongside simple roasted baby potatoes or warm crusty sourdough bread to mop up the extra Gewürztraminer pan sauce. Try pairing it with a quick side like our fresh green salad tossed with a light vinaigrette.
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