Escalopes
Encyclopedia
Escalopes are pieces of boneless meat which have been thinned out using a mallet, rolling pin or beaten with the handle of a knife, or alternative, combined with, or merely 'butterflied'. By thinning out the meat, it cooks more quickly, which is helpful when preparing fast meals.
or scallop in the USA, not to be confused with the shellfish scallop
.
. The dish is basically a veal sandwich with the escalope serving as the "bread" and the filling being ham and cheese. This is then floured, dipped in beaten egg yolk or milk, then in bread or cracker crumbs, and cooked in a pan with butter or, sometimes, oil. In the case of Saltimbocca
only one slice of veal is used and the resulting "open-face sandwich" is rolled before being enrobed and cooked.
Common sizes
The typical sizes of an escalope used in the food industry range from 113 - 227 grams (4oz - 8oz).Other names
The cut is known as paillardPaillard
Paillard is an older French culinary term referring to a quick-cooking, thinly sliced or pounded piece of meat. Most often it refers to veal or chicken, but beef can be used....
or scallop in the USA, not to be confused with the shellfish scallop
Scallop
A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family Pectinidae. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans. Many scallops are highly prized as a food source...
.
Origin
The term escalope originates from France. It first appeared in cookery terminology late in the 17th century as a dialectal expression in the northeast of rural France meaning shell from a nut or snail: veau à l'escalope (veal cooked in the style of an escalope). In those days an escalope was doubtlessly always veal.Most famous recipe
The most famous recipe using veal escalope is "Veal Cordon Bleu", and its various look-alikes such as the Italian "Saltimbocca", where the same cut of veal is known as scaloppineScaloppine
Scaloppine is an Italian dish consisting of thinly sliced meat that is dredged in wheat flour, sautéed, then heated and served with a tomato-, or wine-sauce; or...
. The dish is basically a veal sandwich with the escalope serving as the "bread" and the filling being ham and cheese. This is then floured, dipped in beaten egg yolk or milk, then in bread or cracker crumbs, and cooked in a pan with butter or, sometimes, oil. In the case of Saltimbocca
Saltimbocca
Saltimbocca is a dish made of veal lined or topped with prosciutto and sage; marinated in wine, oil or saltwater depending on the region or one's own taste...
only one slice of veal is used and the resulting "open-face sandwich" is rolled before being enrobed and cooked.