Roast Leg of Veal with Wild Mushroom Sauce and Walnuts

Ok, so I am notorious for stealing cookbooks from my family members. Its awful, I know, but it is especially hard not to if I suspect that they haven’t been used recently. I am a terrible hypocrite here as well because my own ridiculous cookbook collection is certainly not worn from overuse — some of my books look brand new too. I digress.

This recipe is from a book, that several times, I tried to steal from my wonderful, incredibly tolerant, mother. She finally acquiesced and gave me the book. The book is aptly titled The Wine Lover’s Cookbook by Sid Goldstein. I promise that every recipe won’t be from a wine pairing focused cookbook, but until I run into just a little bit more time to do some pairing myself I am relying on you out there to try the recipes and pair them and then let me know how it goes!

It was a toss up between this recipe and one featuring rabbit — this one won out because I was slightly more interested in the suggested pairing with Pinot Noir. Goldstein notes that ”Pinot Noir has an unmistakable affinity for wild mushrooms. The earthy aromas and flavors of the wine are perfectly accentuated by the mushrooms.” (p137) I am a huge mushroom fan – love to hunt for them, love to eat them, and have loved to grow them. Yes, impress your friends with a hanging 3 gallon ziplock filled with straw and sprouting with oyster mushrooms — right in your living room!

Veal is certainly a controversial meat choice. There are a lot of different stances and opinions on veal. I would offer the disclaimer that regardless if you choose veal or another alternative meat, it is worth taking the time to research where to get it or where it came from. A good discussion at Compassion in World Farming is a great place to get an idea of on better standards and practices. There are local organic beef growers in Idaho and Washington that would also probably be great resources on the subject and finally check with your butcher and markets for small scale operation choices.

I hope that someone out there tries it and please tell me your thoughts on the pairing.

Recipe:

1   4 to 5 pound boned leg of veal, rolled and tied
2   teaspoons sweet paprika
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1   red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3   cups sliced portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed
3   cups sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed
2   tablespoons fresh thyme (1 Tablespoon dried)
1   tablespoon fresh sage (1/2 tablespoon dried)
1   tablespoon fresh rosemary (1/2 tablespoon dried)
3   tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Pinot Noir or other red wine
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Garnish: chopped parsley, whole roasted shiitake mushrooms

Coat veal roast evenly with paprika, salt, and pepper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute onions, mushrooms, and herbs in olive oil for 5 to 6 minutes, until onions are translucent. Remove from pan with a spoon and place in a large, foil-lined roasting pan or dish big enough to hold the veal.

In the saute pan, add butter and lightly brown veal roast on all sides over medium heat. Remove veal and place it on top of mushroom mixture. Pour wine and 1 1/2 cups stock over the roast. Place in oven and roast for 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Baste occasionally with liquid.

Remove roast from oven, cut string, and tent in aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Thin slightly with chicken stock if desired. Season to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, slice roast. Divide mushroom sauce evenly on plates and top with sliced veal. Sprinkle walnuts over the top. Garnish with parsley and whole mushrooms. Serve with glazed, dilled carrots and roasted potato quarters.

Serves 6 t o 8 as an entree.
Enjoy!