Re-vealing

It has been years since I have eaten veal. I don't agree with how its made, so to speak. But I watched an episode of Gordon Ramsey's "The F Word" and he had a bit on about British veal and how good it can be for you if it is grass-fed and range-free. So, after years of not eating veal, I decided to try it again, once I discovered from my local grocery store that the veal was local, grass-fed, and allowed to roam the hillside of of the Maryland farm. I bought a small roast.

In looking at it to prepare it for dinner, I realized that it was too much for Will and I to eat by ourselves. In comes The Italian and her Sidekick, Maddalena and Bryan, willing to take one for the team and eat veal so as to not let it go to waste or too much appear on our lips and hips. So nice of them to come to our rescue, don't you think?

I found a recipe in the Larousee Gastonomique that I wanted to try: Veal Roast with Salsify. Now, I had never heard of salsify, but apparently is quite popular in France and Italy-- though the Italian had never heard of it-- and grows naturally in every U.S. state but Hawaii. It is tuber that is also known as goats beard or oyster vegetable, tastes like an artichoke, and looks like this:

Alas, no one had heard of these at two Whole Foods I visited. In fact, no one I have asked has heard of these vegetable. I had to choose surrogate tubers: rutabagas and turnips. It will be fine, right?

Upon arrival to my house, there was literally nothing prepared. So, Bryan and Will relaxed in the "new" TV room with cheese and crackers while Maddalena and I set about creating and modifying the recipe.

The Italian adds her special touch

Will and Bryan soon realized that this was not going to be a quick process and came back into the kitchen to watch the pot simmer (it could have been us giggling that made them want to be in there too). Which, after 15 minutes or the stock reduced to 1/2 what it was, then had to be baked for another 40. And we all know about a watched pots trying to boil, er, simmer...

Still, after modifications, stock not quite boiled down, vegetable substitutions, keeping the carrots and onions in the jus, and perfectly cut chives, this is what we created:

why, yes! That is my *new* china!
Isn't it so pretty?

A delicious meal of roast veal with rutabagas and turnips, and a side of asparagus. (Yes, I appreciate the irony of spring and autumn vegetables served together at one meal). To go along with the evening, Maddalena donated one of the wines from her region in Italy. All in all, a tasty and experimental evening. And yes, I will be eating veal again, especially when the table looks this inviting.