Slow Roasting Veal With Balsamic Vinegar

You can buy veal, usually, in 1 lb. pieces or whole loins at about 3 lbs. If  you are serving company, buy two pieces. This way, those who prefer a veal better cooked can have end pieces. It is tasty and could be served with orzo and broccoli. Just suggesting…..

 

  • 3  lbs. veal tenderloin
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2  tbsp. red wine (Merlot or Pinot Noir))
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle the salt and pepper and 2 tsp. rosemary over the veal, reserve the remainder.

Heat the oil and butter over high heat in a large skillet. Brown the veal all over (3 minutes each side) and place in a shallow roasting pan.

Pour off all but 2 tbsp. of the fat and add the onion, garlic and remaining rosemary. Saute for 1 minute then scatter into the roasting pan. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp. of the balsamic vinegar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the veal is pink. Remove meat from the pan and add in the onion, garlic and any pan juices into the skillet. Place on medium high heat and add the red wine. Reduce until the wine has evaporated and add the stock, making sure to scrape up any ‘bits’ on the bottom of the skillet. Boil until reduced by half. Add remaining balsamic vinegar and return to the boil. Strain into a bowl and after reducing the temperature to low, add the butter and whisk to melt.

Taste and season if necessary and add the parsley. Thinly slice and drizzle the sauce over . YUMMMMMY!

 

Tourtiere (Don’s Way)

Don says this recipe should only be sold it is sooooo good. So feel lucky today, here it is. Otherwise known as a French Canadian Meat Pie. This recipe was his Mom’s recipe and boy, is it tasty.

 Makes 3 pies

  • 2 onions, peeled and chopped, better yet – grated
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 lb. each ground pork, ground beef and ground veal
  • 3 tsp. cloves
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. Jamaican allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. sage
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
  •  Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 medium potatoes
  • 3 boxes of pastry (trying to make it easy for you)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 Heat butter in large pot and saute the  onions until translucent. Add the meat and cook until brown thoroughly eliminating any large lumps.

Add the seasonings and the water. Simmer this for twenty minutes. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Put in a sauce pan and cook until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes.

Add the potatoes to the meat mixture and cook another twenty minutes. Cool down.

Make the pastry according to the directions. Fill the pies equally and cover with pastry. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for fifteen minutes, then lower the heat to 375 and bake another one-half hour .

Note  My husband makes about twelve of these pies on the 11th of November when we do our Christmas baking and because we have children who are not married, we also make smaller pies for them. When they come home from work; they just pop it in the oven to heat through and have a great dinner, just add a salad and veggie. They are so spoiled!

We like ours with a mushroom gravy….the kids…ketchup. Well, there is no accounting for good taste, is there?

 

Veal Parmigiana

Your guests will drool when this comes to the table. When they leave, you may hear them say “when can we come back?”. Tis true.

 Serves 4

  • 1 1/2 cups dry panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1 cup plus 4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (fresh)
  •  1 tbsp each minced fresh parsley and basil
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 8 veal scallops
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  •  1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 8 slices of mozzarella cheese

Put rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Combine panko crumbs, one-half cup cheese, herbs, salt and pepper in a pie plate. Set aside. In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and water together and set aside.

 On a flat plate, spread the flour, coat the scallops in the flour, shaking off the excess and dip in the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs. Pat with your fingers to ensure the crumbs adhere.

Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium high heat and sauté the veal until lightly browned, two-three minutes.  Using tongs, turn the meat over and repeat, adding more oil if the pan starts to dry out. Remove the veal and blot with paper towels to remove excess oil.

Oil a shallow baking dish and spread one-half cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom and arrange the scallops over the sauce slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle four tbsp parmesan cheese and cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Top with the cheese slices and bake until completely heated through, about twenty-five minutes.

If you wish more color on the top, place under the broiler briefly.

This recipe will taste as good if not better than restaurant fare and YOU made it.

 Remember to proclaim to self “damn, I did this”.

 

 

Colourful Veal With Demi Glace

A nice change from chicken or beef and is really ‘upscale’ fare.

You will need:

  • 1  1/2 lbs. Veal Scallopini, lightly pounded
  • 3-4 tbsp. flour
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • 1 small red onion, chopped fine
  • 1 each of red and yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry Vermouth

Lightly dredge the veal in the flour, shaking off excess and brown in butter.  Add garlic, onion and peppers.  Add the Vermouth and cover, cooking on a low temperature for 20-25 minutes.

Demi Glace

  • 3 cups espagnole sauce
  • 1/4 cups brown beef stock
  • 1/4 cup Sherry

Combine the two sauces and simmer until reduced by 2/3’s.  Add Sherry and ladle about 2 tbsp. over the veal. Serve over white rice or wide, buttered noodles.

Serve with fresh homemade dinner rolls (for allowing guests to sop up the gravy). This is allowed at home, even with an elegant table.

Espagnole Sauce

  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 2 tbsp. clarified butter
  • 2 tbsp. flour
  • 6 cups brown beef broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato puree
  • Bouquet Garni (1 bay leaf, 3 marjoram sprigs, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 6-8 pink peppercorns)
  • tied in a cheesecloth packet.

In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to foam. At this point add the onions, carrots and celery and saute for a few minutes until it starts to get brown. With a wooden spoon  stir the flour in the vegetables a little at a time, until it become thick and is fully mixed. Cook for about a minute to cook off the raw flour.

Use a whisk and add the stock and tomato making sure to remove all lumps. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer;  add the Bouqet Garni and cook for 45-50 minutes until it has reduced in volume by a third.

Remove from the heat, and take out the sachet. To use this sauce for serving purposes, be sure to strain it through a fine sieve.  Serve hot.