Parmesan Scallopini with Spinach Salad: A hearty and healthy summer meal

Veal Milanese with Spinach Salad is a summer meal that works well for dinner, lunch, or even a picnic.

I recently celebrated my 40th birthday. Some people go the nervous breakdown route. That seemed a bit extreme to me, so instead I joined a wholesale club and bought two and a half pounds of baby spinach. It seemed like a reasonable purchase at the time, but when I got home with my body bag full of baby spinach, I realized my family was in for a week of extremely green eating.

As it turns out, thinly sliced veal scallopini were another great deal at the mega giant box store. They were already thinly pounded to perfection, meaning a sizable amount of dinner prep was already done for me. Veal Milanese with Spinach Salad is a summer meal that works well for dinner, lunch, or even a picnic.

Set up your breading station close to your frying pan, so the mess is minimal. Spinach was obviously my green of choice here, but arugula would be nice also.

Parmesan Scallopini with Spinach Salad

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced veal cutlets

1 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons dried basil, parsley, or sage

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus (much) more as needed

12 ounces baby spinach

1 cup roasted peppers, drained

3/4 cup fruity olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. 1. Set up your breading station. You’ll need three shallow dishes. In the first, place the flour and one teaspoon of salt. Mix with a fork.
2. 2. In the second dish, place the three well-beaten eggs.
3. 3. In the third dish, place the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and dried herbs. Mix well with a fork.
4. 4. Place a medium to large skillet over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, or more, depending on the size of the skillet. There should be a healthy coating of oil on the bottom of the pan.
5. 5. Dredge the cutlets in the flour first, followed by the egg, and then finally the breadcrumb mixture.
6. 6. Carefully place the veal cutlets in the hot oil. Do not crowd the meat in the pan. Fry them for two to four minutes per side, until brown and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.
7. 7. Meanwhile, make the balsamic dressing. Place the full-flavored olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified.
8. 8. Place about half of the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the spinach and red peppers, and toss well. Reserve the rest of the dressing to pass at the table for people who prefer their salad a little saucier.

Serve the warm cutlets over the salad.

This recipe will yield six servings.