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CookTeaser

“Photos, Recipes & CookTales For Those Who Enjoy Cooking”

Category Archives: Beef and Veal

March 24, 2012 Veal Scallopini With Capers, Vermouth & Brown Butter Sauce


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

When a light dinner is called for, a fine slice of top round Veal thinly pounded, well seasoned, coated with Wondra flour and sauteed in browned Butter and EVOO meets the challenge. For a green, the sharp flavor of Broccoli Rabe becomes a splendid counter- balance.

INGREDIENTS

2 TB of EVOO
1/2 cup of Wondra flour
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
2 8 oz slices of Veal Scallopini (pounded less than 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 TB of Vermouth or White Wine
1-1/2 TB of drained small capers
1/4 cup of chopped Parsley (optional)

METHOD

1.Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until hot, add the EVOO & heat until it shimmers.

2. Stir together the Wondra flour, 1 tsp of Salt, 1/2 tsp of Pepper, then pat veal dry & dredge in the flour, knocking off excess.

2. Cook Veal turning once, until browned & just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Discard the oil from the skillet, then add the Butter, cook over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until browned & fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the Vermouth, Capers, and 1/4 tsp each of Salt & Pepper. Return Veal to the skillet just to heat through, then sprinkle with optional parsley.

March 10, 2012 Steak and Potatoes


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Does anyone need a recipe for this delicious, easy-to-prepare, yet elegant dinner? The three ingredients are definitely in harmony. Why use jarred Roasted Red Peppers, when beautiful red, yellow and orange Peppers are available most everywhere? Simply roasting them over the grates of a cooktop, or in the broiler, tastes so much fresher. Baby Yukon Potatoes are also in stores most everywhere. All it takes is a dash of Salt, a splash of EVOO, and thirty-five minutes in a hot oven, to bring out their wonderful creamy flavor.
The steak was a Shell. Grilled in a cast iron pan, weighed down with a meat press, for a few minutes a side. A casual Friday night dinner.

March 1, 2012 Fillets Of Beef with Goose Liver Mousse


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

An elegant diner in the middle of a rough week. Fortunately we had the main ingredients on hand, saving us a shopping trip on a snowy day. That’s the benefit of a pantry and freezer that’s well stocked and kept up to date. Once again, having sauces from the fine resource, More Than Gourmet, became a great addition.

INGREDIENTS

4 Slices from a Fillet of Beef, 5 ounces each
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 TB of EVOO + 1 TB of Butter
1/2 cup of Red Wine Reduction (available on-line by Amazon from More Than Gourmet)
1/3 cup of Port Wine
4 Shallots (finely chopped)
1 TB of EVOO
1 tsp of Butter

METHOD For the Fillets of Beef

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Season the Beef Fillets. Heat a frying pan to high & add the four Fillets, cook for 2-1/2 minutes a side.

2. Transfer the pan to the oven for 5 to 6 minutes for rare, 120 to 125 degrees. For medium rare add a few minutes in the oven. Remove the pan & allow to rest.

METHOD for the Port Wine Sauce

1. Saute the Shallots in the EVOO until tenderized & opaque. Add the Port Wine & saute until slightly reduced.

2. Add the Red Wine Reduction & lightly whisk it all together. Turn off the heat, & as a final touch enrich the sauce with the tsp of Butter.

February 19, 2012 Trippa alla Romano


RECIPE

A CookTale

Last evening we were having friends in for dinner. A one pot dish fit the bill. Though Tripe is an acquired taste to some, not to this group, it’s one of their favorites. This recipe is a universal classic so this recipe can be found in most any Italian cookbook. Mario Batali, introduced me to a simple procedure in his “Molto Mario ” cookbook that eliminates the unique odor that Tripe emits while simmering. 1/2 cup of White Vinegar and 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract will do it every time. By evening’s conclusion, the pot was ready for the dishwasher. That’s a successful dinner party.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds of Honeycomb Tripe
1/2 cup White Vinegar
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
2 TB of EVOO
1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
Celery Stalks (3/4″ slices)
4 Garlic cloves coarsely chopped
2 cups of Tomato Sauce (homemade or Rao’s)
Parsley leaves (1 cup finely chopped)
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (optional)

METHOD

1. In a large soup pot combine the Tripe, Vinegar, Vanilla & enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook until the Tripe is very tender, about 1 to 2 hours, replenishing the water as necessary.

2. Drain the Tripe, reserving the cooking liquid, & allow to cool. Slice the Tripe into 1/2-inch strips.

3. In a stovetop casserole, heat the EVOO over high heat until almost smoking. Add the Onion, Garlic, Celery & Tripe & saute 8 minutes. Add the Tomatoes, the Tomato sauce, Salt & Pepper & Pepper Flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer & cook, covered, for 30 minutes until all the flavors have blended.

4. To each plate add a generous portion of Tripe & top with the (optional) Parmesan.

5. Accompany with Rice or Polenta

February 18, 2012 A Veal Rib Chop Surrounded By Fried Sage


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

A Veal Chop is a quite expensive cut of meat, so it pays to be choosy about where it’s purchased from. Two of our reliable sources are Adam’s Fairacre Farm and Smokehouse of The Catskills. Last evenings’s chop was almost 2″ thick and weighed more that 1-1/2 pounds. A hefty chunk of Veal and well worth the hefty price. All that was done to it was seasoning, pan grilling and finishing in the oven. What more is ever necessary?

INGREDIENTS

1 Veal Rib Chop (1-14″ to 1-1/2 ” thick)
1 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper (generously applied)
Sage Leaves fried (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees

2. Season & Oil the chop. Heat a cast iron grill pan to smoking high. Add the chop weighed down with a meat press for 2-1/2 minutes, turn diagonally for another 2 minutes. Turn the Veal chop & repeat. A total of 4-1/2 minutes.

3. Move the grill pan to the hot oven for 5 minutes. The internal temperature at that point should be 125 degrees.

3. Remove from the oven & allow to rest for 5 minutes, before slicing & serving.

4. Fry the optional Sage Leaves in vegetable oil for 1 minute, dry on paper toweling & add to the plate.

February 13, 2012 Hash Browns With A Burger


NO RECIPE REQUIRED

Serves 2

A CookTale

What could be simpler at the end of a weekend than a tasty Burger and a pan of crispy, crunchy Hash Browns? Especially when they come from frozen Ore-Idas? In a pinch, this brand really works. I’m alway kind of looking over my shoulder when I use frozen Potatoes; that is, until I take a forkful to my lips. As the title says, no recipe required. Just a simple Sunday supper…


February 11, 2012 Weisswurst With Bacon & Apple Sauerkraut


RECIPE 

Serves 2

A CookTale

In this day and age it’s not a simple task to find freshly made charcuterie of any kind, much less Weisswurst, a traditional Bavarian sausage made from very finely minced veal. Once again we are lucky to have The Smokehouse of The Catskills, only a few miles from home. We are assured that every Thursday of every week Bavarian specialties have been hand-made and on display. This Rip Van Winkle region of the Catskills had a significant population of Dutch and Germans. This resulted in the original association that started the Smokehouse in 1945. Lucky for us it’s still going strong.

INGREDIENTS

4 Weisswurst Sausages
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
5 ounces thick-cut Bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large Onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup of of Riesling or a dry white wine 
1 large Apple, such as Gala or Fuji (peeled, cored & cut into 1/2″ pieces)
12 Juniper Berries
3 Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp of Sugar
Kosher Salt & freshly ground Pepper
1 cup of Water
2 lbs of Sauerkraut (drained, rinsed & squeezed dry)
Grainy Mustard (Bavarian preferred, for serving)

METHOD

1. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 TB of the oil until shimmering. Add the bacon & cook over moderately high heat until the fat is rendered & the Bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate.

2. Add the Onion to the casserole, cover partially & cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the Wine, Apple, Juniper Berries, Bay Leaves, Sugar, 1 tsp of Kosher Salt & 1/2 tsp of Pepper & boil for 3 minutes. Add the water & the Sauerkraut. Reduce the heat to low, cover & cook until the Apple is very tender, about 45 minutes.

3. In a large deep-sided saute pan, add water. When it starts to boil, add the Weisswurst & simmer them until they have heated through, about 8 minutes.

4. To serve, spoon the Sauerkraut onto each plate & arrange the sausages around. Sprinkle the reserved Bacon over the Sauerkraut & serve with a large dollop of Mustard.

February 4, 2012 Steak and Kidney Pie


RECIPE

Serves 4 generously

A CookTale

Just imagine this, there are 7,000 Pubs in London, 53,000 in Great Britain, and one of their most popular luncheon dishes is Steak and Kidney Pie. That means that for every Pub that serves food, their cooks are putting this dish together every day of the year, and in large quantities. That boggles my mind! As much as we enjoy it, it’s a recipe with many ingredients, so it’s a once in a while event. Last evening was it, and the result was quite satisfactory, though to Cathe’s dismay, the stovetop required a great deal of attention, while I sneaked off to bed.

INGREDIENTS

2 TB of EVOO (more if needed)
1 lb of Beef (We used Fillet of Beef)
12 oz of Veal Kidneys (quartered)
2 medium Yellow Onions, (in a large dice)
2 TB Butter
3 Turnips (peeled & shaped into batons)
10 oz of White Mushrooms
1 TB Flour (for thickening) & 1 TB (for pastry dusting)
2 oz of Demi-Glace + 1 cup of Beef Stock (to form a rich stock)
Kosher Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup of Worcestershire Sauce
1 Sheet of Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm)
1 Egg mixed with 1/4 cup Milk (for brushing the pastry)

METHOD

1. Heat the EVOO in a large frying pan. Sear & seal the Beef. Remove to a large bowl. Sear & seal the Kidneys in the same pan. Remove to a bowl.

2. Add the Onions to the pan & cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove to the bowl.

3. Add 1 TB of Butter & the Turnip batons to the pan. Saute until tender. Remove to the bowl.

4. Add another TB of Butter to the pan & saute the Mushrooms until browned & tender. Add to the bowl.

5. Add the stock to the pan, stir well & bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes without a lid. If the liquid begins to evaporate, add more stock. Remove from the heat. Add Salt, Pepper & Worcestershire sauce. Return the bowl contents to the pan & coat the Meats & Vegetables. Allow to cool slightly.

6. Place the cooked mixture into a 9″ pie dish.
Roll out the prepared pastry 2 inches larger than the 9″ plate. Using a rolling pin, lift the pastry and place it over the top of the pie dish. Trim & crimp the edges with your fingers and thumb. Brush the surface with the Egg mixture.

7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust has flaked & lightly browned.

Note: You do not want the (pricey) Fillet of Beef to overcook & dry ou

January 29, 2012 Saltimbocco


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

For unrecorded years the dish called Saltimbocco was and still is classic throughout Italy, Switzerland, and Southern European countries. Saltimbocco translates to “jumps in the mouth”. Traditionally the meat is Veal, pounded with a mallet as thinly as possible. My version using Chicken, was treated similarly. That’s where the comparison ended. The reason, I believe is that Veal takes seconds for each side to brown and tenderize, whereas Chicken takes minutes, and that extra time in a hot pan caused them to seize up. At least mine did. They looked good, Were tasty, but the Chicken Breast can never be as tender as a top round of Veal. Lesson learned was stick to the classic, so the recipe is for Veal.

INGREDIENTS

4 3 oz. slices of top round of Veal (pounded thinly to an even thickness)
Salt & ground Black Pepper
3 TB OF Butter (2 for the pan, 1 for the sauce)
1 TB OF EVOO
8 fresh Sage Leaves (two to a cutlet)
4 slices of Pancetta or Prosciutto (large slices trimmed to fit the Veal)
3/4 cup of dry White Wine or Vermouth

METHOD

1. Season the Veal cutlets with Salt & Pepper. Pound them with a meat mallet as thin as possible. To each slice, add two Sage leaves & top with a slice of Pancetta or Prosciutto. Set aside.

2. In a large deep-sided saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the 2 TB of Butter with the EVOO until very hot. Add the four cutlets, Pancetta or Prosciutto side down, for 1 minute. Turn the cutlets & cook briefly for 1 minute more.

3. Remove them to a platter & cover with foil while the sauce is being prepared. Turn up the heat, & when the pan is sizzling, add the Wine & deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits stuck on the pan bottom. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat & whisk in the remaining 1 TB of Butter.

4. Spoon an equal amount of the Butter/Wine Sauce onto each plate, Add a drizzle of the Sauce over each cutlet. Serve immediately.

December 14, 2011 A Two Rib Standing Prime Rib Roast


RECIPE
Serves 4 with ample leftovers

A CookTale

A standing Prime Rib Roast is called the King of Beef and for good reason. Be sure that you bring home a certified cut of Beef marked Prime. Look for a marbling of fat throughout the meat, and buy it from a topnotch butcher. This is so pricey a purchase, it’s well worth being cautious.

INGREDIENTS

A 4 lb standing 2 rib Roast (the bones cut away from the Roast & tied back with kitchen string. The butcher will prepare the Roast this way)
Kosher Salt & Fresh Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Remove the Roast from the refrigerator, 3 hours before cooking, to bring it to room temperature before it goes into the oven.

2 Preheat the oven to 500°F. Generously sprinkle the entire Roast with Salt & Pepper. Place the Roast, fat side up, rib side down, in a roasting pan in the oven.

3. After 15 minutes at 500°F, reduce the heat to 325°F. One way to figure the total cooking time is to allow about 13-15 minutes per pound for rare and 15-17 minutes per pound for medium rare. A 4 lb Roast requires 50 to 60 minutes. An instant thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the Roast should register 115°-120°F for rare, or 125°-130°F for medium.

4. Once the Roast has reached the desired internal temperature, remove it from oven & let rest for 20 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. The Roast will continue to cook while it is resting.

6. With scissors, cut the strings which attach the meat to the bones. Remove the bones (save for making stock for soup). With a sharp carving knife, slice Meat across the grain, making the slices about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.