by Julia Child
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.
VARIATIONS
Côtes de Veau Gratinées au Fromage
[Braised Veal Chops or Steaks Gratinéed with Cheese]
This is a delicious variation with cheese.
Brown and braise the veal, Steps 1 and 2 in the preceding Master Recipe, and make the sauce, Step 3. Shortly before serving them, gratiné as follows:
¾ cup lightly pressed down, coarsely grated Swiss cheese
¼ cup dry white wine, or dry white French vermouth
Preheat broiler to moderately hot. Arrange the braised veal in a shallow baking dish, if not already in one, and spread the cheese over the meat. Sprinkle the wine or vermouth on top, and set under broiler for several minutes, until cheese has melted and browned nicely. Arrange the chops on their platter, pour the sauce around them, and serve.
Côtes de Veau Braisées aux Champignons
[Veal Chops or Steaks Braised with Mushrooms and Cream]
Mushrooms and veal, like mushrooms and chicken, always go well together and one reason undoubtedly is that the natural MSG in the mushrooms points up the delicate flavor of the meat.
Brown and braise the veal, Steps 1 and 2 in the Master Recipe, but about 10 minutes before veal is done add the mushrooms as follows:
2 cups (¼ lb.) fresh mushrooms
2 Tb butter in a medium (10-inch) frying pan
Salt and pepper
Trim, wash, and dry the mushrooms; slice or quarter them. Heat butter to foaming, add mushrooms, and sauté, tossing and turning for 2 to 3 minutes; season lightly and set aside. (A short sauté in butter gives them added flavor.) When you estimate the veal has around 10 minutes more in the oven, add the mushrooms, basting them with the juices in the casserole.
Sauce and serving
½ to ⅔ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Drops of lemon juice
2 to 3 Tb soft butter
2 to 3 Tb minced, fresh parsley, parsley sprigs, or whatever vegetable you may have chosen
When done, remove veal to hot platter; cover and keep warm. Set mushrooms aside on a plate. Skim surface fat off cooking juices and boil liquid down, if necessary, until almost syrupy. Add the cream and boil down again rapidly until sauce is lightly thickened. Return mushrooms to sauce and simmer a moment. Correct seasoning, adding drops of lemon juice as needed. Remove from heat, swish in enrichment butter, then pour sauce and mushrooms over veal, decorate with parsley or vegetables, and serve.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: If you are not to serve immediately, complete sauce, except for enrichment butter; return veal to pan and baste with sauce and mushrooms. Cover and keep warm (110–20 degrees). Thin out sauce before serving, if necessary, with more cream or stock; swish in enrichment butter, basting meat with sauce until butter is absorbed.
Côtes de Veau Champvallon, Gratinées
[Veal Chops or Steaks Braised with Potatoes]
This is almost a meal in a dish, and needs only a fresh green accompaniment like broccoli, peas, beans, or spinach; or you may prefer a combination salad in a separate course. Here the potatoes, cooking with the veal and their juices, absorb marvelous flavor, and the cheese and bread-crumb topping at the end not only thickens the cooking juices but also makes attractive serving. Although the general method is almost the same as the Master Recipe, we give a shortened full account because of slight differences.
NOTE: Here you must trim the meat in some way so that it will all fit in one layer in a casserole
or baking dish; see Step 2.
For 4 people
1) Browning the veal
½ cup (4 ounces) lardons (blanched bacon sticks, 1½ inches long and ¼ inch thick)
3 Tb olive oil or cooking oil
4 veal shoulder chops or steaks ¾ to 1 inch thick, dried in paper towels
1 cup minced onions
2 large cloves garlic, mashed or minced
Cut the blanched lardons of bacon into ¼-inch dice, and brown slowly with the oil in a frying pan. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving fat in pan. Add the chops or steaks; brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, being sure fat is very hot but not burning. Remove veal. Stir in the onions and garlic, cover, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Scoop onions and garlic into a side dish, leaving fat in pan. Remove pan from heat.
2) Braising the veal
Salt and pepper
½ tsp tarragon, thyme, mixed Provençal herbs, or Italian seasoning
A covered flameproof casserole or baking dish that will just hold all the meat in one layer (or use two dishes)
4 to 5 cups “boiling” potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅛-inch slices
½ cup fresh, rather roughly minced parsley
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
Buttered aluminum foil
A bulb baster
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season veal with salt, pepper, and herbs, and arrange in one close layer in casserole with the onions and garlic, and half the browned, diced lardons. Strew the potatoes over the veal, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of parsley. (You should have no more than ¾ inch of potatoes in all.) Pour in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon to come ⅓ the way up the potatoes. Spoon a tablespoon or 2 of the cooking fat over the potatoes (unless it has browned, in which case use melted butter). Sprinkle the remaining lardon bits over the potatoes, and bring contents of casserole to simmer on top of stove. Drape buttered foil over potatoes, cover casserole, and set in middle level of preheated oven. Bake for about an hour, or until both veal and potatoes are tender, basting several times with liquid in pan.
3) Gratinéeing and serving
½ cup not-too-fine crumbs from nonsweetened, homemade-type white bread
⅓ cup finely grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese
Raise oven thermostat to 425 degrees. Taste cooking liquid and correct seasoning if necessary. Mix the crumbs and cheese together, and spread over the potatoes. Baste with juices in casserole and set in upper-third level of oven. Baste several times while juices boil down and thicken with the crumbs, and topping browns nicely; this will take 10 to 15 minutes.
Either serve from casserole or baking dish, or remove each piece of veal with its topping, and transfer to a hot platter; pour juices around.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE: If you are not to serve immediately, let juices reduce and thicken a little less; keep warm, loosely covered with foil, on a hot-tray or 120-degree warming oven. Baste with more stock or with melted butter, if necessary, before serving.
Other ideas for veal chops and steaks
Starting out with the simple braise in the Master Recipe, you might stir the reduced cooking juices, Step 3, into a pistou flavoring, or into the Provençal mixture of anchovies, capers, garlic, and parsley described in Volume I, page 324. Another idea would be to spread a pipérade of sautéed green peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs over the braised veal; cover and let them warm together for a few minutes, then spoon on the sauce and serve. You could use the pistouille mixture, of sautéed eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers in the same way. Finally, there is the always attractive garniture bonne femme, a combination of bacon lardons, partially cooked small onions, and blanched small potatoes, which you add to the veal the last half hour of braising so all finish their cooking together; for this, adapt the poulet en cocotte bonne femme recipe in Volume I, page 253.
VEAL STEWS
Ragoûts de Veau
Veal makes lovely stew, and it cooks in a little more than an hour. Volume I contains the well-known blanquette de veau, with its onions, mushrooms, and creamy sauce, as well as a hearty brown stew with tomatoes. Here are several more stews, including ossobuco.
VEAL CUTS FOR STEWING
The part of the veal breast called “plate” is a favorite French stewing cut, but one that is not popular with all Americans because of the crunchy cartilage of the breast bone and rib ends. The shoulder-chop area, neck, and shoulder arm all give good stew meat, as do both front and hind shanks. The hind shank is the ossobuco, with the marrow bone, and the choicest; the front shank has more bone and the meat more separations; it requires half an hour longer cooking, but makes a good stew because of its gelatinous quality. (If the veal you buy is not of the palest and tenderest quality, the best way to cook it is by stewing or braising; the leg [round] can be used for boneless stewing meat in this case.)
A pound of boneless meat will serve 2 to 3 people, but you will need ¾ to 1 pound per person for bone-in meat. You may use a combination of both in any of the recipes except for ossobuco, but we shall usually specify boneless meat simply to eliminate cumbersome either-or choices. Bones, however, will add texture and flavor to the stew; if your meat is boneless it is a good idea to tie a cupful or so of chopped veal marrow and knuckle bones in washed cheesecloth, and simmer them with the meat.
RAGOÛT DE VEAU AUX CHAMPIGNONS
[Veal Stew with Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Cream]
There are endless way of flavoring and finishing off a veal stew, because veal, like chicken, is amenable to infinite variety. Here is a Master Recipe for starting out the veal, and a number of ways to vary its presentation. Serve this with rice or pasta, and a fresh green vegetable or a salad. For wine, chose a light, young red like Beaujolais or Cabernet Sauvignon, or a rather strong, dry white of the Côtes-du-Rhône type.
For 4 to 6 people
1) Browning the veal and the onions
2½ to 3 lbs. trimmed and boneless lean stewing veal cut into 1½-inch chunks (see notes preceding recipe)
Salt and pepper
½ cup flour on a plate
2 or more Tb olive oil or cooking oil
A heavy frying pan, no-stick recommended
Dry veal on paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and just before browning, roll in flour and shake off excess. (Shaking in a sieve works nicely.) Film pan with ⅛ inch of oil, set over moderately high heat, and when very hot but not smoking, add as many pieces of veal as will fit easily in 1 layer. Brown nicely on all sides, which will take 4 to 5 minutes or more; remove veal, as it is browned, to a side dish, and continue with the rest.
2 cups sliced onions
2 Tb oil
A heavy 10- by 2-inch chicken fryer, electric skillet, or 3- to 4-quart flameproof casserole
While veal is browning, cook onions in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. When tender, raise heat and brown very lightly. When the veal is done, add it to the onions.
2) Braising the veal
1 cup dry white wine, or ¾ cup dry white French vermouth
1 cup brown veal stock, or chicken stock, or a combination of canned chicken broth and beef bouillon
1 tsp tarragon, basil, or oregano
1 imported bay leaf
1 or 2 large cloves garlic, mashed or minced
1 or 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and roughly chopped (¾ cup pulp)
Discard oil from veal sauté pan and deglaze pan with the wine, scraping up coagulated browning juices. Pour the wine into the veal and onions; stir in the stock, herbs, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring to the simmer, cover and simmer slowly, basting meat occasionally with liquids in pan, for 1 to 1¼ hours, or until veal is tender when pierced with a knife. Do not overcook; meat should not fall apart.
3) The mushrooms
1½ to 2 cups (6 to 8 ounces) fresh mush
rooms
More oil
The frying pan that browned the veal
Salt and pepper
While veal is simmering, trim, wash, dry, and quarter the mushrooms. Film pan with ⅛ inch of oil, and set over moderately high heat; when oil is hot but not smoking, sauté the mushrooms, tossing and turning, for 3 to 4 minutes, just until they are starting to brown lightly. Season to taste, and set aside.
4) Sauce and serving
If needed: beurre manié (1 Tb flour blended to a paste with 1 Tb soft butter), and a wire whip
½ to ⅔ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
The mushrooms
Minced fresh parsley, or mixed fresh green herbs (parsley, chives, and tarragon, basil, or Oregano)
When veal is tender, scoop it out into a side dish with a slotted spoon. Skim off surface fat, and boil down cooking liquid, if necessary, to concentrate its flavor. If it seems too thin (it must be thick enough to cover the meat nicely), remove from heat, beat in beurre manié with wire whip, and bring to the simmer. Stir in the cream and the mushrooms, bring to the boil, and boil slowly 2 to 3 minutes to thicken the sauce again, and to blend flavors. Carefully correct seasoning. Return veal to casserole and simmer again for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the veal with the sauce; correct seasoning again. Either serve from pan or casserole, or arrange on a hot platter surrounded with whatever vegetables you have chosen. Decorate with herbs, and bring immediately to the table.