Beef Cotoletta with Red Wine Jus and Italian Slaw
A crunchy Milanese-style beef cotoletta, pan-fried in butter, with a glossy red wine jus and a fresh fennel, herb and caper slaw.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Cotoletta alla milanese is usually veal on the bone. We use beef, pounded thin so it cooks in the time the crumb takes to turn golden. The crumb gets parmesan and parsley, and a knob of butter at the end of frying gives it a nutty finish.
A spoonful of red wine jus makes it feel like a proper main, and the slaw keeps it light.
Ingredients
Cotoletta
Red wine jus
Italian slaw
Method
Jus
- Brown the shallots in the oil with the thyme. Add the wine and reduce until almost gone.
- Add the stock and simmer until reduced to about 150 ml and glossy, around 20–25 minutes. Strain, whisk in the cold butter and season.
Cotoletta
- Place each piece of beef between baking paper and pound to 5 mm thick. Season.
- Mix the panko, parmesan and parsley. Dust the beef in flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into the crumb on both sides.
- Heat 1 cm of oil in a large frying pan to 170°C. Fry the cotoletta for 2–3 minutes a side until deep golden. Add the butter for the last minute and spoon it over.
- Drain on a rack and sprinkle with flaky salt.
Slaw and plating
- Whisk the lemon, mustard and oil, then toss with the fennel, rocket, herbs and capers.
- Plate the cotoletta with a pool of jus, a lemon wedge and a pile of slaw.
Chef’s notes
- Rest the crumbed meat in the fridge for 15 minutes before frying so the crumb doesn’t fall off.
- Drain on a wire rack, not paper towel, to keep the underside crisp.
Questions about this recipe
What is the difference between a cotoletta and a schnitzel?
They’re close cousins. Cotoletta alla milanese is traditionally veal fried in butter, often with parmesan in the crumb. Schnitzel is Austrian and usually fried in oil or lard.
