Episode 58: Veal

Braised Veal Shoulder
Roasted Shoulder of Veal
Osso Bucco of Veal w/ Gremolata
Veal Shank Flambeed w/ Marsala
Veal Cassoulet
Ravioli Stuffed w/Ground Veal & Cumin

BRAISED VEAL SHOULDER
1, 4 pound veal shoulder, cleaned (2 kilogram)
2 leeks, white part only
1 medium size onion, quartered
1 medium size carrot, peeled and cut in four
1 celery stick, peeled and cut in three
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (30 millilitres)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 millilitres)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 tablespoon whole fresh peppercorns
2 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence
1 sprig of fresh savoury
1 cup of Caliterra Merlot red wine (250 millilitres)
1 cup of veal stock (250 millilitres)

Preparation time is 1 ¾ hours
Ease of preparation is easy

Season the inside of the veal shoulder with the Herbes de Provence, half the thyme, the savoury, the salt and pepper. Tie with a butcher’s twine into a roast. Season with the remainder of the herbs. In a casserole dish, heat the oil and the butter; sear the roast for 2 minutes on every side until brown in colour.

Remove the meat from the casserole and caramelize the leeks, onions, carrots and celery until they also get brown. Put the roast back in the middle of the vegetable mixture and bring back to a hot temperature. Deglaze with the red wine and scrape the pan juice from the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the veal stock and cook on the stovetop for 35 minutes at a low heat.

Remove the lid of the casserole and check the consistency of the braising liquid to ensure that there is enough in the casserole. Put the lid back on and raise the heat to medium-low for another 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the veal rest in the liquid for another 20 minutes. Remove from the casserole and slice the roast. Reduce the sauce by one third and coat the roast with it.

Serve with roasted potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings
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ROASTED SHOULDER OF VEAL
1 4 pounds of veal shoulder (2 kilograms)
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (30 millilitres)
1 sprig of thyme
1 teaspoon Paprika (5 millilitres)
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon grape seed oil (15 millilitres)

Preparation time is 1 ¾ hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

Season the inside of the roast with half of the Herbes de Provence, the thyme, the salt and pepper. Roll the roast and tie with a butcher’s twine. In a sauté pan, melt the oil and the butter and sear the roast on every side to give it a nice brown colour. Coat the roast with the Dijon mustard, the rest of the Herbes de Provence and the thyme. Season to taste.

Sit the veal in a roasting pan and put it in the oven for 1 hour. Check the doneness after that hour and leave in the oven depending on how rare you like the meat.

Take the shoulder of veal out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes with tin foil on top. Slice and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
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OSSO BUCCO OF VEAL WITH GREMOLATA
8 veal hind shanks 1 ½ inch thick
1 onion cut in small cubes
1 tbs butter, unsalted
1 tbs grape seed oil
3 tbs of flour, toasted
½ cup of diced tomatoes
1 tbs tomato paste
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of savoury
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 cup of Franz Reh Lark Riesling white wine
2 cups of veal stock

Preparation time is 2 ½ hours
Ease of preparation is moderate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Tie the veal hind shanks so they keep their shape during cooking. Dredge them with flour on each side. In a casserole dish, melt the butter and the oil. Sear the shanks on every side until they are dark brown (remove the shanks from the pan as you sear them). Roast the onion in the same oil and butter (add a little more butter if necessary).

Put the shanks back in the casserole and deglaze with the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan until the pieces come off. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, the garlic, the herbs and the veal stock. Season to taste and cook for 2 hours in the oven.

Remove the veal shanks from the casserole and reduce the sauce by one third.

For the Gremolata, remove the zest from 1 orange, cut it into thin strips and blanch for 10 seconds to remove the bitterness. Refresh the orange strips in cold water. Line the strips up and cut in brunoise. Add a clove of finely chopped garlic and a handful of chopped parsley. Mix together the orange, garlic and parsley and serve on top of the veal shank. You can also add some orange zests to the osso bucco once it has cooked.

Yield: 4 servings
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VEAL SHANK FLAMBEED WITH MARSALA
4 pieces of veal shank braised in advance
¼ cup of Marsala (60 millilitres)
½ cup of heavy cream (125 millilitres)
1 sprig of thyme
4 portions of linguini pasta already cooked
2 whole roasted peppers (cooked, peeled and julienned)
1 cup of baby spinach (for the pasta) (60 grams)

Preparation time is 30 minutes, plus 30 to rest the pasta dough
Ease of preparation is easy

Heat a sauté pan until very hot. Put in a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of grape seed oil. When hot, sear the veal shanks and colour on all sides until dark brown.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the Marsala into the pan. Put the pan over a high heat and flambé until the alcohol has evaporated. Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool for 30 seconds.

Take the meat off the bone of the shanks and put it back in the pan. Add the cream and reduce for 30 seconds. Add the thyme and season to taste. Serve on linguini, tossed with roasted red peppers, baby spinach and fresh herbs.

Yield: 4 servings
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VEAL CASSOULET
4 fore shanks of veal, 1 ½ inch thick, tied for cooking
1 tablespoon butter (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon grape seed oil (15 millilitres)
450 grams coco beans (13 ounces)
125 grams double smoked bacon (4 ounces)
1 clove of garlic, smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of savoury
1 whole clove
4 Toulouse sausages
salt and pepper

Preparation time is 3 ½ hours
Ease of preparation is easy

The day before you plan to make the cassoulet, put the beans to soak in cold water.

In a casserole dish, sear the fore shanks on all sides in butter and oil. Add the piece of bacon, the garlic, the soaked, drained beans, the clove and the herbs. Top with water and bring to a boil.

Cover the casserole and cook on the stovetop for about 3 hours. After 2 ½ hours, check the consistency of the sauce and the beans, making sure that the beans have not absorbed all the water. If so, just add a little bit more. Before serving, grill the sausages and serve with the cassoulet.

Yield: 4 servings
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RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH GROUND VEAL AND CUMIN
9 ounces semolina flour (270 grams)
9 ounces all purpose flour (270 grams)
9 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
1 pinch of salt
1 pound of ground veal loin (500 grams)
1 medium size shallot, minced
1 tablespoon butter (15 millilitres)
1 teaspoon of dried cumin (5 millilitres)
¼ cup of Philippe de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc white wine (60 millilitres)
1 teaspoon of hoisin sauce 95 millilitres)
1 cup Philippe de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc white wine (250 millilitres)
½ cup cream (125 millilitres)

Preparation time is 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting time
Ease of preparation is moderate

Combine the semolina and all-purpose flours and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the middle of the flour mix and put the beaten eggs (yolks and whole eggs) in the centre. With the paddle attachment, mix the dough until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. Rest for 30 minutes.

In a sauté pan, warm the butter and sauté the shallots for 1 minute and add the ground veal. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat becomes brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine and add the hoisin sauce. Add the cumin. Season to taste.

Roll the pasta dough in 2 long strips. On one of the strips, place the meat filling at a distance of 1 inch by 3 inches. Brush with an egg wash (1 egg with a little bit of milk) around the veal mixture. Cover with the other strip of dough making sure not to leave any air pockets. Seal with the outside ring of a cookie cutter and cut with a size larger around the mixture. Cook the ravioli in boiling water until they float to the surface, about 5 minutes.

In the same pan that you made the veal stuffing, deglaze with white wine. Reduce the wine by half and add some cream. Boil for 30 seconds. Pour over the ravioli.

Yield: 4 servings
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Caroline McCann-Bizjak.