Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Veal Oscar




Veal is probably the most delicate tasting meat in the world. In every household, meals are often designed around meat. The average American family serves meat at least once a day. This is not surprising because meat and deli-meat provide important nutrients. Among the different types of meat, veal holds a special place. Veal is a delicacy with a fine structure. Veal is tender, lean, mellow in taste and contains important minerals and vitamins. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, veal is important because of its high nutritional value, easy digestibility and a good alternative when keeping an eye on calories. This recipe is posted courtesy of http://www.vealrecipes.com Many more wonderful veal recipes can be found at this web site.

The preparation of this classic meal is somewhat time-consuming. So, give yourself the better part of an afternoon to complete every task. There’s no need to rush and the reward of this meal well done is worth the effort.

4 servings

Ingredients


1 lb of delft blue milk fed veal tenderloin (450g) (Center cut and totally cleaned)
4- 4 oz portions (4 X 122g)
1½ lb of queen crab legs (670g)
(8 oz of meat once removed from shells) (225g) 4- 2 oz portions ( 4 X 56g)
kosher salt
ground fresh white pepper
canola oil for sauté pan

Rosti Potato

2 large Yukon gold potatoes
kosher salt
fresh white ground pepper
4 oz clarified butter (122g)

Vegetables

1 lb asparagus (450g)
¾ lb baby carrots (340g)
1 leek
kosher salt

Foie Gras Hollandaise

3 egg yolks
½ lemon juiced
3 tablespoons water (45g)
4 oz clarified butter (112g)
4 oz foie gras (cubed) (112g)
kosher salt
ground fresh white pepper

Directions

Rosti Potato:

Have a fry pan large enough for 4 potato rosti (4”-5” in diameter) (10-12cm) on a medium high heat. Peel and grate potato into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add clarified butter to hot pan and using ring mould add potatoes and press into rounds approximately ½ inch thick. (12mm)

Cook until golden brown on both sides approximately 4-5 minutes per side and remove to a parchment lined baking sheet.

These may be made up to an hour in advance and left at room temperature or a day ahead and refrigerated. They are, however, best made just prior to serving. If making ahead, preheat oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and bake room temperature potatoes for approximately 20 minutes or until hot.

Vegetables:

Have a medium sauce pan of boiling salted water ready.

Trim asparagus and blanch approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute. Immediately immerse in ice bath.

Blanch carrots approximately 2 minutes and immediately remove to ice bath.

Slice 4 strips of leeks, to tie the asparagus bundles, approximately 6” long (15cm). Blanch for about 5 seconds and remove to ice bath.

Tie the asparagus into 4 bundles. Finish cleaning the carrots with a paring knife where you have missed with the peeler.

The vegetables may be prepared up to a day in advance and kept in the fridge.
Reheat on baking sheet in the oven.

Veal Tenderloin:

Slit a hole in center of veal (lengthwise) and stuff with the crabmeat.

Preheat sauté pan on medium high heat. Season veal all around with salt and white pepper.
Add oil to pan and when hot, place veal into pan and let brown approximately 1 minute then turn ¼ turn and repeat until veal is browned on all 4 sides. The veal should release easily each turn if the pan is hot enough and it is properly seared.

In a preheated 375ºF (190ºC) oven put potatoes on bottom rack. Bake for 15 minutes while preparing the hollandaise. Turn potatoes over and add pan of veal, the carrots and asparagus to the oven while making hollandaise. After approximately 8-10 minutes veal should be about med-rare. Remove from oven and let rest approximately 4-5 minutes. You can leave vegetables in oven to keep warm. Turn oven off.

Foie Gras Hollandaise

Preheat medium sauté pan on medium high heat. Season foie gras with salt and white pepper and put into pan. Stir foie and immediately; remove pan from heat. Continue stirring until foie is golden brown and rendered. Transfer to another container and keep warm.

Over a double boiler on medium heat, in a stainless steel bowl whisk egg yolks, lemon and water. Whisk vigorously (do not stir) so as to incorporate air as you would to whip cream. When yolks are thick and tripled in volume – remove from heat and while still over double boiler, slowly whisk in clarified butter then slowly whisk in foie gras oil and chunks. Pass this mixture through a fine sieve and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Put rosti on plate, top with crab stuffed veal tenderloin and place carrots and asparagus on either side of potato. Spoon sauce over part of the veal and shave fresh truffles over the sauce.