veal cacciatore

I love love love veal cacciatore.
We always had cacciatore growing up.  It's a peasant's dish - a hunter's dish - because it uses so many of the ingredients that a "hunter" would have.  A hunter, in Italy, that is.
Cacciatore literally means "hunter" in Italian and often uses tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, rosemary....anything that an Italian could forage for and gather, after he's killed a rabbit or wild rooster or something.
But, let's class things up a bit!  I'm using veal cutlets today....for taste and for ease.  Normally, you would chop up a chicken or rabbit, brown it and braise it for an hour or so.  With veal cutlets, you can brown it and serve it in less than 30.  But, feel free to use chicken cutlets or pounded beef.  Anything really!!
Let's get started!

Veal Cacciatore (or Chicken...or Beef....)
Serves 4ish.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Four 4-oz. veal cutlets, pounded 1/4 inch thick or have your butcher do it
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices
1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Put the flour in a baking dish. Season the cutlets all over with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary, cook the cutlets until dark golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate as they finish.

In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, wine, capers, and rosemary. Bring back to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cutlets and any accumulated juices to the sauce and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Mmmm, doesn't that look awesome!  Serve over pasta or couscous and enjoy!!