As you all know, The Cookbook Guru’s feature cookbook for May and June is: The Complete Margaret Fulton Cookbook. Even though a lot of the recipes have dated, there are enough gems in it to make it fun to cook from.
At the beginning of the month, I went through and tagged a number of recipes that I thought we would like. Most were in the biscuit chapter, but not all. I spied this one and thought of Maus. Maus is a big fan of veal and cooks it well. I am sure the reason Maus likes veal so much is because it is traditionally cut very thinly and then beaten even thinner. Maus does not like to see any blood in her meat. This is highly unlikely when the meat is served this thin.
As part of our demarcation line in the household, Maus is the veal cooker. This is because it is often crumbed, something I don’t like to do. Maus soon realised if she was going to get to eat crumbed veal, she would have to crumb it herself.
I must say we both really enjoyed this recipe. This dish, or something very similar, would have adorned the menus of many smart restaurants in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Why it has disappeared I do not know. Both Maus and I loved it and have earmarked it to make again.
- 4 small veal* steaks
- seasoned flour for coating the meat
- 1 small onion, or 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 125g small mushrooms
- enough butter to sauté the meat and the onions and mushrooms
- buerre manié
- 1 tbs** butter (extra)
- 1 tsp flour
- ¾ cup white wine
- ½ cup stock
- salt & coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ cup cream
- finely chopped parsley to serve
* Veal can be quite difficult to get in Perth. If you can’t find any, use gerello which is readily available.
**These are 20 mil tablespoons.
- Gently beat the steak with a mallet until quite thin then lightly dust each piece with a little seasoned flour.
- Heat a large sauté pan and add a knob of butter. When it is foaming, add the veal.
- Sauté for three minutes on each side.
- Remove the meat to a heated plate and then wipe the pan clean with some absorbent paper.
- Add a little more butter. When it has melted, add the onion and sauté it for a few mintues then add the mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes more.
- Add the wine, allow it to boil and reduce by half then add the stock.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Put the veal back into the pan and when the sauce is boiling, cover the pan and simmer for 6 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Mix the butter and flour for the buerre manié and then add it to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Place the pan back onto the heat, allow the sauce to, again, come to the boil then add the cream (Don’t boil the cream because it may curdle). Stir to combine.
[We found steps 9 &10 were easier if the meat was removed from the pan and then put back in once everything is combined.] - Gently simmer for a further minute. Adjust the seasoning.
- Serve with the sauce poured over the meat and then sprinkled with parsley.
Passion Fruit Garden 
Yum 🙂 One of my all time favourites that I can rarely resist ordering when I see it on an Italian restaurant menu.
Hi Ella, is it still on the menus? I haven’t seen it for years.
I think yes, at more traditional Italian restaurants. I’ve had it at Leo’s Spaghetti House in St Kilda but they have a new menu, and also at Bohn Gusto in Darlington, Sydney but not for a few years.
In one way it is a pity these great old recipes go by the wayside but in another it is good as it allows us to try new things.
A classic that, to me, will never date!
Like you and me Liz.
Thanks very much! Sitting here thinking I can’t be bothered with dinner, “I’ll just have a toasted sandwich later” in my head and I see this. Showed husband your photo, he rolled his head back and groaned then said, “now I’m hungry”. Almost impossible to get veal here so I can put that on a must stock up list when I go ‘down town’. Haven’t had that, or come to think of it, beef strog for an eon. Winter comfort food awaits!
Hi Maree, Veal used to available everywhere. I don’t know why it is not readily available these days.
Reblogged this on The Cookbook Guru and commented:
Glenda has shared with us another savoury dish… this time Veal Scallopine with luscious looking mushrooms and a cream sauce. Some of Fulton’s recipes are really standing the test of time which is exciting to read about. Make sure you check out this latest post.
Happy Reading,
Leah
This was a dish I made for dinner party guests many many times. Everyone loved it. There are some gems in MF’s book!
Hi Sandra, there certainly are. I will have to have another looky see.
That looks wonderful and a perfect way to cook veal. I make veal every now and then but I think it’s not as popular here in the States because people are opposed to the way the baby cows are confined. Sometimes I try not to think of where my food comes from.
If you drink cows milk and eat cheese you should eat veal. Male calves are an unfortunate byproduct of the dairy industry and would be dispatched at birth if there was no place at the table for them.
Hi Sandra, I think Diane’s point was that calves are not free range as they are in Australia so the little life they do have is not a good one.
Hi Diane, we are lucky in Australia as all our beef is free range.
That’s excellent! It would certainly never fly here in the States. We’re just finally able to get antibiotic free chicken & people are protesting this hog gestation crates. We’re getting there but the meat lobby is huge & has big $$$