Veal Steaks with Lemon and Caper Gremolata and Sweet Potato Salad

We hadn't had veal for a long time so I was looking forward to last night's dinner. In fact I was praying that I got home from work early enough to cook it. I was very busy yesterday and it was made worse by the fact I had to drive home in very heavy rain.

Anyway dinner was very easy to prepare and as this recipe is basically broken up into 3 steps it was somewhat quick also, besides the roasting of the sweet pototo time wise.

The Lemon and Caper Gremolata made a nice change from having a sauce and I have to say the taste and textures of the Sweet Potato Salad was very enjoyable also. However, the next time I cook this I will change the cut of veal. Don't get me wrong there was nothing wrong with using thin veal steaks we just prefer a thicker cut of meat so I feel this recipe would work well with a veal cutlet.

Veal Steaks with Lemon and Caper Gremolata and Sweet Potato Salad
(recipe sourced from WW ProPoints Programme Cookbook 2010)

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 11

800g sweet potato, cut into 2 cm pieces
cooking spray
3/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped roughly
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons baby capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
500 grams lean thin veal steaks, fat trimmed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

Preheat an oven to 220 degrees Celcius.

Place sweet potato on a baking tray. Lightly spray with cooking spray and toss to coat. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until golden and tender.

In a small jug whisk parsley, rind, juice, oil and capers together and set aside.

Lightly spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Cook veal for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through.

Place cranberries, pine nuts, vinegar, mustard, roassted sweet potato in a bowl. Toss to combine. Serve veal topped with the lemon and caper gremolata, along with the sweet potato salad.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Fettucine With Creamy Spinach, Pinenuts and Sultanas

This is a recipe that Noel and I had at one of our favourite pasta restaurants and have tried to recreate it from scratch at home. We think we have done a good job with it!! .
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Fettucine With Creamy Spinach, Pinenuts and Sultanas

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Serves 6

7 points per serve

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250g fettucine (or pasta of your choice)

200g baby spinach leaves

60g pinenuts, toasted

80g sultanas

1 onion, diced

1 cup light (fat reduced) cream

1/2 cup water

1 tbs chicken stock powder

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil to serve

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Cook pasta as per directions on packet - do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
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To toast pinenuts you can either fry in a pan sprayed with cooking spray or place on an oven tray and place under the grill. Be careful they burn easily.

Spray a large non-stick pan with cooking spray and cook onions until soft. Add pinenuts and sultanas stirring for 2-3 minutes. Combine water and stock together and add to pan along with the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

Add pasta and baby spinach leaves stirring through until heated through.

Serve immediately, garnish with shredded fresh basil.