Braised veal cheeks
You may not have considered veal cheeks, but don’t let their unfamiliarity stop you! They are moist, flavorful nuggets of meat with an almost perfect balance of fat and meat.Â
- 2 pounds veal cheeks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 carrot, cut into large dice
- 1 yellow onion, cut into large dice
- 1 celery rib, cut into large dice
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart veal stock or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups panko
- ½ pound baby arugula
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (about 2 tablespoons)
Instructions:
This recipe is a twist on veal Milanese, made with the cheeks, which taste rather like boned short ribs once they are braised, breaded, and then fried
- Preheat the oven to 300 F.
- Season the veal cheeks with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, ovenproof casserole over high heat.
- Add the veal cheeks and sear for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Add the carrot, onion, celery, coriander seeds, thyme, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until lightly caramelized.
- Add the stock, bring to a boil, and cover with parchment paper cut to fit inside the pan. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the meat is fork tender. Remove the pan from the oven, lift off and discard the parchment paper, and let the veal cheeks cool to room temperature in the braising liquid. Stir the vinegar into the cooling liquid. Once they have reached room temperature, remove the veal cheeks and set aside.
- Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a large saucepan and discard the vegetables. Bring the strained liquid to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by half. Using a skimmer or large spoon, skim off any grease or foam that rises to the surface. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs with ½ cup of water in a second bowl. Put the panko in a third bowl. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the cooked veal cheeks in the flour, then dip them in the egg wash and finally the panko to coat.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and put ½ cup of olive oil in the pan (if you prefer, substitute vegetable oil). When the oil is hot, panfry the veal cheeks for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Let the cheeks drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper while hot.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the arugula with about 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle about â…“ cup of the reduced braising liquid on each of 4 serving plates and top with a quarter of the veal cheeks. Pile arugula over the veal cheeks, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice, and top with a generous amount of the shaved cheese.