Photograph © 2010 by Judd Pilossof. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Update: Congratulations, Kris, the winner of this contest! Her Sunday Supper? “I made one of our favorite dishes with ground lamb, onions, apricots, prunes, green beans, and noodles topped with yogurt and garlic. With a spinach salad it was perfect.”
On the other hand, if the veal is dark rose, I know it’s been allowed to roam free until slaughter. As a carnivore, I’m evolving, but at this point, I’m OK with veal that’s been raised like this. Before Christmas, I spied some dark rosy, farm-raised veal shanks and picked them up, thinking we’d enjoy them over the holidays.As I’ve reduced my meat consumption these last few years, I’ve also had to rethink how I feel about veal (euphemism for baby cow). As with all animals, my main concern: how they were raised. When I see veal in the meat case, I can tell a lot about its life. If it’s the usual pale pink, I know it’s likely been separated from its mother and crated, the better to keep those muscles nice and pale and tender.
Turns out there was so much rich food those few weeks, there was never the right moment to really enjoy and appreciate them. So they stayed in the freezer until this past Sunday morning. Sharon and new husband Anthony were stopping by for a quick lunch en route to New Haven after a fun Saturday night with her sister Maggy and brother-in-law Andy in New York. What to serve them?
I opened the pantry, I opened the fridge–no inspiration. I opened the freezer, and there sat those eight beautiful veal shanks. I pulled them out to thaw, but then I realized a meal like this needed time and deserved a great bottle of wine. Occasionally I love leisurely Sunday lunches, but there wasn’t time for a nap after a meal like that. The shanks were thawed. What to do?
I made soup and salad instead. As Sharon and Anthony were leaving, I realized I didn’t need eight veal shanks. Would they like four of them? Yes! Perfect. I braised mine. They took theirs home to braise.
Around dinnertime I got a text from Sharon, “Just sitting down to braised veal shanks with wild mushroom and Corsican goat cheese polenta : ) yum!”
Hmm. I didn’t have polenta, but I had grits, and I had goat cheese too!
With the goat cheese addition, it turns out three animals contributed to my dish–prosciutto to flavor the braise, the veal shanks of course, and then goat cheese in the grits. Felt a little wrong, but then again so very right.
Thank God today’s Meatless Monday, but I’m looking forward to the two remaining shanks for dinner later this week!
P.S. It’s cold today and it feels like a great day to give away my last cookbook Perfect One-Dish Dinners
- 4 veal shanks, tied around the circumference with butcher’s twine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large each: carrot, celery stalk, and onion, cut into small dice
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces), minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite-diced tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup quick grits
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed deep skillet or soup kettle over low heat. Coat both sides of shanks with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. A few minutes from browning shanks, turn heat to medium-high. Add shanks to hot pan and cook, turning only once until brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
- Remove pan from heat to cool slightly, then add butter, and return to medium-high burner. Add carrots, celery, and onion; sauté until soft and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, prosciutto, and Italian seasonings; sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, wine, and broth, bring to a simmer, and return shanks to pan. Turn off heat and place a piece of heavy-duty foil over the pan. Using a potholder to protect hands, press on foil so that it touches the stew. Seal foil completely around the edges. Place lid on skillet to create a tight seal. Turn burner on medium-high until juices bubble. Set pan in oven and cook until shanks are fork tender, 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- When ready to serve heat 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in grits; continue to whisk until soft, but thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in goat cheese. Spoon a portion of grits on each of 4 plates. Top each with a veal shank and a portion of sauce. Serve.
Sunday night we ate Balsalmic chicken with tomatoes and spinach! YUM
Blakened Fish taco and nacho!
Sunday night we had homemade turkey soup with peanut butter toast. Talk about some yummy comfort food!
Sunday dinner was vegetable beef soup
roast beef panini
I made your Quick Coq au vin. It was easy and tasted like I cooked all day!
A hamburger casserole (substituted ground turkey for the beef) with steamed green beans.
On Sunday we had swiss steak made in the crock pot (football games you know) served over hot biscuits.
Sunday evening we had pizza.
Sunday night dinner included steamed broccoli and a creamy meatball stroganoff!
Left over turkey meatloaf, green beans & potatoes.
I had a warm bowl of Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal for dinner- definitely a comforting meal for this Boston girl 🙂
I don’t remember. It must have been pretty ho-hum, whatever it was. 🙂
A beautiful Pot Roast, with Potatoes, Roasted Carrots and crusty French Bread!
Herb and garlic encrusted pork loin with roasted red skin potatoes. I think I overcooked it a bit, but still tasty.
beef saltimboca with kale salad
Homemade pumpkin soup and fresh rolls! (Ironically, no pumpkins are harmed in the making of the soup, but several winter squash gave their lives.)
Tourtiere and green salad.
Fish in aqua loco (“crazy water”) cooked in y new pressure cooker.
Some extremely yummy fried chicken!
Sunday night we hade homemade pad thai!
Quinoa with cranberries, maple syrup, soy milk, and pecans.
Nothing special, quick spaghetti with sausage and meat sauce and a little garlic bread, but i have been craving veal chops!! I totally agree about your thoughts on veal.
Roasted chicken raised by my dad 🙂
We’ve been eating lean and green since a wonderful two weeks in Northern and Southern California with family…but we had a treat on Sunday- as we usually do a “Sunday Dinner” with our daughter, her fiance, friends, etc. From the Bonne Femme Cookbook we had the Chicken with Vermouth, Proscuitto, and Nicoise olives, sauteed green beans, and provencal tomatoes…followed by a baby romaine salad dressed with a lemony vinaigrette and a cheese course with three wonderful cheeses and a winter fruit compote! Was a real treat and enjoyed by all…best of all simple and came together quickly!
We had homemade pasta sauce (made by my husband) and gnocci
I made (and ate) mixed paella on Sunday (chicken thighs, scallops. prawns, mussels)– YUM!
Swedish meatballs & rice w/ steamed broccoli
Family dinner night – steak and roasted veggies – very yummy!
We had Mexican lasagne: ground turkey, black beans, corn and salsa layered with corn tortillas, spinach and cheese. With a big crunchy, green salad.
Sunday’s dinner was hamburgers on the grill with the grandchildren…lots of fun!
Homemade Split Pea Soup, grilled chicken sandwiches and fresh fruit for supper. (The grill was stil out from the rib eye steak we had at noon). Yes, we still grill out in southern Ohio in January (eliminates a lot of dirty pots and pans).
homemade minestrone soup – with the exception of buying the vegetables, everything was made from scratch, including the vegetable stock, the pasta (had leftover frozen tortellini i made), and it all tasted so good!
We were flying….so we had “sack lunch” sandwiches that I brought along. Peanut Butter and Miracle Whip for me……Ham, Cheese, Tomato and Lettuce for the pilot….along with brownies and some chips. Felt like 2nd grade!
For supper on Sunday I made ham and beans with cornbread! All homemade and delicious…It was a great comfort food. For dessert…apple crisp topped with whipped cream..YUM!
A cheeseburger & sweet potato fries!
Sunday Dinner was delicious — made your “Simple Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs” recipe and served it over rice. So, sooo good…..
I had tofu stewed with peas and red bean soup!
I made Nana’s Chili, (that’s what my son’s call it, even though I’m not a Nana yet) had rice, cheese, various hot sauces, Frito’s and mini saltines for fixin’s. Very cold day, it hit the spot!!
Pizza and a salad – thanks!
We live in Minnesota and it had just turned cold on Sunday so it made me think of a thick creamy soup to warm up with!
Sunday supper this week was a white bean soup with rosemary– made from what was around the kitchen– cooked with a ham bone left over from the previous night and some dinosaur kale that was in desperate need of being used (before it was too late), and a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end.
pre golden globe red carpet dinner. stuffed peppers with spaghetti squash. 5 women in this house and everyone is cutting out carbs for a few weeks since the holidays! so good..
I had homemade Chili, another one pot wonder! with some pita chips
Giouvarlakia – greek meatball and rice soup without tomato!
Scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and cherry/almond scones. Used your scone recipe published a few years back in USA Today Weekend magazine. It’s a family favorite! Everyone loves it.
It’s cold here too. We had a pasta bake with Swiss cheese, peas, and shrimp.
My son joined us for pot roast. Flavorful and warming!
Sunday night in our house is snack night (the big meal is usually mid-day). Last Sunday we had red pepper hummus with raw veggies and onion rings (our guilty pleasure since we’d had 6 days of healthy meatless meals!). And actually last Sunday noon we ended up at Subway after going to the Sanibel farmer’s market (here in SW Florida, it’s strawberry and tomato season). At Subway we got the veggie delite which remined me that I used to get a veggie sub that had cashews on it – very yummy.
On Sunday night, I made a delicious vegetarian stew.
Homemade Sherried, Leek, Mushroom, Wildrice, & Cream Soup, Yummeeeee!!!