Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (91 page)

VEAL

Veau

Not too many years ago veal was appreciated only by Europeans or sophisticated and traveled Americans. Now the delights of the scallop quickly sautéed in butter and served in a cream and tarragon sauce, or the roast stuffed with mushrooms, or a
blanquette
—that deceptively simple and marvelous stew—are quite common dishes on the American table wherever good veal is to be found. Happily for us all, much better veal is now being raised in this country, due to improved feeding methods and to the growing demand for top-quality meat. If your market has not yet begun to carry the large, pale, fine veal that is now available, you can perhaps urge them to feature it in the hope that a demand will be created in your shopping area.

Some 25 pages are devoted to veal, its quality, and its cuts, in Volume I, starting on page 350. Recipes include casserole roasts with herbs and aromatic vegetables, the sumptuous
veau Orloff,
veal stuffed with ham and cheese, two fine stews, a detailed section on how to fix your own scallops, another on chops, and some useful suggestions for ground-veal patties, an excellent solution for the quite reasonably priced little pieces of neck meat you sometimes find packaged at the meat counter. Here we have three groups of recipes for braising veal: shoulder chops, stews, and illustrated directions on how to bone and
stuff a breast of veal in the French manner. We end with two dishes from the
haute cuisine, veau en feuilletons
and
noisettes de veau, Perigourdine,
both requiring the ultimate in fine wines, truffles,
foie gras,
and well-filled
porte-feuilles.

BRAISED VEAL CHOPS AND STEAKS

Côtes de Veau Braisées

Both steaks cut from the leg of veal and shoulder chops benefit deliciously from the slow, moist cooking of a braise, as do rib and loin chops from veal that is not of the pale and tender quality one had hoped to find. Because weights of veal carcasses and cutting methods for veal vary so tremendously in this country, we shall simply specify the weight and the thickness of the meat. For shoulder chops, count on ¾ pound per person, and each chop should be ¾ to 1 inch thick. Cross-grain slices from the leg (round) should also be ¾ to 1 inch thick, and 1½ to 2 pounds will serve 4 people.

FRENCH VEAL

In France, shoulder chops are called either
basses côtes
or
côtes découvertes.
Only small legs of veal are cut into steaks,
rouelles.

  
CÔTES DE VEAU DANS LEUR JUS

[Veal Chops or Steaks Braised in Wine]

This is a lovely, simple, basic method for braising veal chops or steaks. Serve just as is, enriching the braising juices with a little butter, or elaborating with cream and mushrooms or other trimmings, as decribed in the variations following this recipe. You might arrange the chops on a bed of creamed spinach or on the
potatoes simmered in cream and tarragon
. Or you could accompany them with the
gratin
of chard or of spinach and onions
. The delicious
zucchini
timbale
would make the dinner much dressier, of course, and if you did not wish a rice or potato dish, a fresh loaf of your own French bread would very nicely take the place of a starchy vegetable. For wine, we suggest a red Bordeaux-Médoc.

For 4 people

1)
Browning the chops

4 veal shoulder chops ¾ to 1 inch thick and ¾ lb. each; or 1½ to 2 lbs. veal steak ¾ to 1 inch thick

3 to 4 Tb butter

1 to 2 Tb olive oil or cooking oil

An electric frying pan large enough to hold all the meat in 1 layer; or a medium pan and a baking dish or casserole

If using chops, cut off extra backbone pieces and remove any loose ribs, gristle, and excess fat; if tail is
loose, wind it around the body of the meat and skewer in place. (Leave steaks whole or cut into serving pieces, whichever you prefer.) Dry meat thoroughly on paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 of oil in pan, and when butter foam begins to subside, arrange as much meat in pan as will easily fit in 1 layer. Brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side, regulating heat so butter is very hot but not browning. Remove meat to a side dish if you have not browned all at once, and brown the rest of the veal with more butter or oil if needed.

2)
Braising the chops

Salt and pepper

3 Tb minced shallots or scallions

½ cup dry white wine or dry white French vermouth

About 1 cup veal stock, chicken stock, or a combination of canned chicken and beef bouillon

½ tsp tarragon, thyme, mixed Provençal herbs, or Italian seasoning

(You may braise the chops either on top of the stove or in a preheated 325-degree oven; if they will not fit flat in one layer, overlap slightly and plan to baste more frequently.) Season meat on both sides with salt and pepper, and arrange in the pan. Set over moderate heat, stir in the shallots or scallions, and cook 2 minutes, then pour in the wine or vermouth, and enough stock or bouillon to come half way up the meat. Add the herbs. Bring to the simmer on top of the stove, cover pan, and maintain at a slow, steady simmer throughout cooking, basting meat several times with liquid in pan. Whether chops or steak, meat should be done in 50 to 60 minutes, and should be tender when pierced with a knife; if not tender, cook 5 to 10 minutes longer.

3)
Sauce and serving

A hot platter

Salt and pepper

Drops of fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 Tb soft butter

Minced fresh parsley and whatever vegetables you wish

Arrange the veal on the platter; cover and keep warm in turned-off oven, door ajar, for the few minutes it will take to finish the sauce. Skim surface fat off cooking juices, bring to the boil, skimming, and boil down rapidly until liquid is almost syrupy. Carefully correct seasoning, adding lemon juice to taste. Remove from heat and swish in the enrichment butter, half a tablespoon at a time. Spoon the sauce over the chops, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

(*)
AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTES
: If you are not serving immediately, prepare the sauce by boiling down the cooking juices to concentrate them, but do not reduce the quantity quite so much. Return veal to pan, baste with sauce, lay waxed paper over it and cover pan loosely. The meat will keep nicely for at least half an hour on a hot-tray or warming oven at 110 to 120 degrees; finish sauce just before serving.