Un-veal-ievably Yummy

August 9, 2020
Pg. 116
Veal Chops with Summer Squash
with Fried Sage Leaves
Alexander, Season 1 (Winner!)
25…74 to go!

I know I keep saying this, but this is one of my new favorite meals of all time! I am constantly impressed with the recipes in the MasterChef Junior Cookbook. This particular one was surprisingly simple (especially since it was made during the Season 1 finale) but it was so full of flavor I couldn’t stop saying “yum” and “oh my goodness” the whole time we ate it.

**I love me some fresh bundles of herbs.**

To my knowledge, I’ve never eaten veal, and I definitely have never cooked it before. I have also never cooked a bone-in piece of meat, either. (Usually, my fella does that on the grill.) In addition, I’m not a big zucchini fan, so I don’t cook it often. It’s growing on me (thanks to some good zoodle recipes) but it, and the rest of the squash family, are not really my go-to veggies. Consequently, I have never cooked with yellow squash. But I threw it in the pan with the zucchini, added some extra seasoning, and sautéed them for a little bit longer than instructed (I like my veggies well done, so this is pretty much always the case), and it was SO GOOD! It just might have been the right dish to make me a zucchini/squash fan.

**Look at those glistening juices! Also featuring a close up of the fried sage leaves.**

What I did differently:

The additional suggested summer squash were patty pan and baby eight balls. What?! I should be used to not knowing what an ingredient is these days, but still, every now and then I’m like, “Does everyone else know about all these foods or have I just been living under a rock?!” I couldn’t find these at any major markets I live near so I just settled with zucchini and yellow squash.
I seasoned the veggies with more than the salt and pepper it called for. I threw in some garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes. That little kick of heat took it to the next level.
I served the veal chops and squash with some roasted garlic cauliflower mashed potatoes, a perfect pairing in my opinion.

**I wish you could smell this through your phone/computer. You’re really missing out.**

All my love,
Dani, a big tid

P.S. Fall, peak squash season, is quickly approaching. Which veggies should I try in the squash family next? And what is the best way to prepare them? Let me know in the comments!