"Noisettes" of Veal with Mushrooms
"Noisette" is the French word for "nuts." The word is a
reference to the size and shape of the prepared veal. There
are no nuts in this recipe. This dish is at its very finest
when served with wild mushrooms. Fresh Morel
mushrooms are spectacular, as
are Fresh
Chanterelle Mushrooms. Off-season, though, it is
positively savory with fresh mu
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 5-pound veal shank, cut into 5 pieces
Sea salt & freshly ground white Pepper to taste
3 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups water
12 fresh Peppercorns
2 tablespoons heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leek leaves - choose long leaves with no spots or blemishes.
Blanched and halved lengthwise
½ pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Heat 3 of the 4 tablespoons
of olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium to medium-high
heat. Season the shanks with salt and pepper and then brown in
the oil, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the meat to a skillet,
add the carrots, onions and shallots, and sauté for about 2 or
3 minutes. Add the wine, stirring constantly, then the water and
the peppercorns. Return the mixture to the pot, cover, and braise
in the oven until the meat is very tender. This should take about
three hours.
Transfer the cooked shanks to a plate and strain the remaining
broth through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables
with the back of a spoon to get all the juices out. Reduce the
broth over high heat to about one cup. This should take about
20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the cream, and simmer
for 2 or 3 minutes. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and
whisk in all but 1 tablespoon of the butter. Keep the sauce
warm over very low heat as you continue preparation.
Remove the bones and gristle from the meat, then separate the
meat into small, nut-sized pieces. Assemble the "medallions"
by dividing the meat into four portions. Form each portion
into a circle with pieces standing upright and wrapping each
circle with a leek leaf. Transfer the medallions very delicately
to a heatproof plate, cover with plastic wrap and set the plate
on a rack over a pan of simmering water. Cover and steam until
they are heated through, about 5-10 minutes.
While the "noisettes" are steaming, heat the remaining
tablespoon of butter and oil in a medium skillet over
medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté just until
tender, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, pour a fourth of the warm sauce onto each of four
plates. Place one leek-wrapped veal "medallion" on top of
each plate. Arrange the mushrooms next to each medallion.
Directions:
"Noisette" is the French word for "nuts." The word is a
reference to the size and shape of the prepared veal. There
are no nuts in this recipe. This dish is at its very finest
when served with wild mushrooms. Fresh Morel
mushrooms are spectacular, as
are Fresh
Chanterelle Mushrooms. Off-season, though, it is
positively savory with fresh mushrooms. Exquisite!
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