Recipes

Recipe: Veal Ragout

Roasted chestnuts and wine sauce make this veal ragout a winner with dinner guests

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr/ayustety

This veal ragout is a real crowd pleaser

Perfect for a buffet, this veal ragout is a favourite dish for feeding a crowd

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 4 lb. veal shoulder, cubed

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided, for frying

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided, for frying

  • 16 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole

  • 2 small cooking onions, quartered

  • 2 cups chicken stock

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

  • 25 small pearl onions, peeled (or thawed if frozen)

  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

  • 20 roasted chestnuts (jarred or fresh)

  • 1/2 cup red wine

  • 1 cup whipping cream

  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1/2 cup minced parsley (for garnish)



Instructions

  1. Pour flour into a zip-lock bag.
  2. In three batches, add veal cubes and shake until evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.
  3. Combine some oil and butter in a frying pan on medium-high.
  4. Fry veal in batches until browned on all sides.
  5. Transfer to a large Dutch oven.
  6. Add garlic, cooking onions, stock, thyme and bay leaves.
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  8. Cover and cook in preheated 350°F oven for 1 1/2 hours.
  9. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan.
  10. Add pearl onions and shake until they begin to brown.
  11. Add brown sugar to promote caramelization.
  12. Add chestnuts and wine.
  13. Simmer 8-10 minutes until chestnuts are tender and absorb the wine.
  14. When veal is done, pick out garlic and set aside.
  15. Remove and discard cooking onions, thyme and bay leaves.
  16. Place garlic in a small bowl and mash to a smooth paste.
  17. Stir garlic back into veal juices.
  18. Add cream and chestnut mixture. Stir to combine.
  19. Season to taste.
  20. Pour veal into a deep serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with cooked pasta.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe courtesy Caren McSherry from the Gourmet Warehouse
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Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.