Recipes, Recipes - Pinot Noir

Really Slowly Roasted Veal Shank with Baby Vegetables and Chantrelles

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1, 4 to 5 lb. Veal shank
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
¼ cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock

Baby Vegetables
¼ lb Baby carrots, peeled, tops trimmed to ¼ inch
¼ lb Baby turnips, trimmed and washed
¼ lb tiny haricorts verts
¼ lb thin asparagus, trimmed, with bottom inch of stalk peeled
½ lb waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold or White Rose, peeled and cut into quarters
¼ lb cherry tomatoes
1 cup fresh peas (about ½ lb in the pod)
¼ lb fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
¼ lb fresh fava beans, blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water and shells removed

Chantrelles
1 Tbl. Unsalted butter
1 small shallot finely chopped
4 oz. Fresh chantrelles, or other wild or cultivated mushroom of your choice, wiped clean
salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 2 pieces
2 Tbl. Finely chopped chives

In large ovenproof sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. Using heavy kitchen tongs and a carving fork to steady the meat, sear the veal shank evenly for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until all sides are golden brown. Season the shank with salt and pepper to taste, and remove it to a large ovenproof braising pan or oval dutch oven. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Add the carrot, celery, and onion to the sauté pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally to prevent them from burning, 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic, thyme, and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add the wine to the pan and deglaze, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides so all the flavorful bits are released into the liquid. Add the stock, stir to mix well, and pour the mixture over the veal shank in the braising pan. Cover the pan and cook in the oven for 2 and ½ to 3 hours, basting the shank with the liquid in the pan every 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the shank over every 30 minutes. When done, remove the shank to an ovenproof platter, cover and set aside. Strain the braising juices into a large saucepan and discard the solids. Over high heat, reduce the braising liquid by about three quarters, skimming off the fat and impurities. When reduced, cover and set aside.

To prepare the vegetables, have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a large saucepan, bring a generous amount of water to a boil. Blanch each type of vegetable separately by plunging it into the boiling water and cooking for 1 to 4 minutes depending on the size or until cooked to al dente. Using a skimmer, remove the vegetables and immediately plunge them into the ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain the vegetables on a clean towel. Proceed until all the vegetables have been blanched, chilled and drained. (You may need to add more ice to the water as you go).

To prepare the chantrelles, melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the chantrelles and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When you are ready to serve, reheat the veal shank, if necessary, still covered with foil, in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through. Return the braising liquid to a simmer and swirl in the butter, a piece at a time, until it is just absorbed and the sauce becomes glossy. Add the vegetables and chantrelles to the saucepan and turn them gently until they are heated through and coated with sauce.

Place the veal shank in the center of a large heated oval serving platter. Remove the vegetables from the sauce with a slotted spoon and arrange them loosely in an attractive mix around the shank. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the shank and sprinkle the chives all over. Serve family style.

Recipe from Joachim Splichal, Patina restaurant