The High-Protein Cookbook - Linda West Eckhardt [20]
Menu Suggestion
Adding a side dish of roasted asparagus will only add only 4 grams of carbs. Go for a cheese course with this dinner to raise the protein grams to 27. Then it’s perfect.
VEAL: THE DELICATE RED MEAT
Veal is a delicate and wonderful addition to any diet, but few of us cook it at home. In fact, it only recently became widely available in supermarkets. Creamy pale and tender, veal is naturally low in fat and its mild flavor and winning texture make it very versatile. Veal, like poultry, is best cooked at medium to low temperatures to maximize moistness, flavor, and tenderness. However, because it is not as dense as beef, it cooks much faster. This is one reason why it is popular with chefs and with us in our quest to put dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. It also allows a cook to show off his or her ability to make a wonderful sauce.
Veal may seem costly, but given how quickly it cooks and what a comparable entree purchased from a restaurant would cost, it is a bargain. In fact, the cost per serving of preparing even the most expensive cut of veal is much lower than a fast-food hamburger or take-out Chinese food.
We encourage you to make veal part of your weekly menu plan. We have included a variety of recipes that use the cuts of veal that cook in the shortest amount of time. You can experiment and try these recipes with alternative cuts of veal. We think you will be pleased with the results. Most important, you will find that you don’t have to be in a four-star restaurant to enjoy veal.
Veal Stew with Sage
This copper-colored stew will warm your heart and your stomach. The lemon zest brings up the flavors, and the sage adds a subtle earthiness. Try it; you will fall in love with sage.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
10 ounces veal cutlets, pounded to ½ inch thick and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped onion
½ cup coarsely chopped celery
¼ cup coarsely chopped carrot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
One 8-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, liquid reserved
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
Fresh sage leaves for garnish
Toss the veal in some of the olive oil. Film a large skillet with the remaining oil. Sauté the veal pieces in batches over medium-high heat, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook them until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the veal to a warm plate and keep warm. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and sage to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the tomatoes, white wine, and broth and deglaze, scraping up all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by a third, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, swirl in the butter, then add the salt and pepper and lemon zest and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve garnished with whole sage leaves.
Nutritional Analysis: 421 calories, FAT 20 g, PROTEIN 34 g, CARB 15 g, FIBER 4 g, CHOL 141 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 720 mg, CALC 108 mg
Veal Meatballs in Port Sauce Over Caramelized Onions
Ground veal is inexpensive and delicate. If your butcher won’t grind it for you, use your food processor to chop it finely. These tender, delicate meatballs are wonderful when served over Caramelized Onions. Foolproof way to caramalize onions, which we learned from a French chef.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
10 ounces ground veal
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped