Piccata

Meet the piccata family—chicken, veal, swordfish, and what have you. We tend to think of chicken piccata as a dish, but really piccata is a cooking method. In Italy, where veal is the preferred primary ingredient, piccata means cooked in a sauce of lemon, parsley, and butter. The word comes from the Italian piccato which translates as “larded.” I haven’t quite figured out the relationship between piccata as we know it and larded, but there you have it. I have used the technique on Dover sole—that delicate fish responds well to the simple lemon sauce.

We had chicken piccata last night—it is one of Jordan’s favorite meals, and I have come to think of it was Christian’s signature dish. I forgot to take a picture, so will make do with clip art. Chicken is the most common version in the States, but there are a couple of things to remember as you prepare it. Always butterfly the chicken breast before you pound it flat. Your goal is an even thickness of no more than a quarter inch. That way each bite is saturated with that luscious sauce. The meat is most often dredged in flour, but I have found using a mixture of flour and cornmeal gives a nice, crisp surface to it. Last night Christian added some half-and-half for a creamier sauce than usual. Capers are another frequent addition to the sauce. And a clove or two of garlic sautéed with the meat adds a nice dimension. Piccata is traditionally served with pasta.

Here’s the recipe I have used for years.

Chicken piccata

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 egg

1 Tbsp. milk

Flour

Cornmeal

4 Tbsp. butter

Juice of ½ lemon

½ cup chicken bouillon or a combination of bouillon and dry white wine

Mix milk and egg in a shallow bowl; mix flour and cornmeal in a second bowl.

Pound chicken until it’s as flat as you can get it. Dip breasts in egg mixture and then in flour/cornmeal mixture. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken breasts until browned on both sides, adding more butter if necessary. If they are thin enough, they will cook quickly. Remove to platter and tent with foil when browned and cooked through.

Reduce heat. Add lemon juice to skillet and then bouillon/wine mixture. Stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Return meat and cook five minutes until warmed through. (You may want to double the sauce since it’s also wonderful on the pasta.)

Serve with thin lemon slices and chopped parsley for garnish—add those capers if you wish.