Longes, Carrés et Noix de Veau Froids

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10 to 12-inch ovenproof skillet
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth
• •Pastry brush
• •Four 4-ounce ramekins
• •Shallow 8-inch dish for setting aspic
• •Cold oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape and season

   Pat the veal dry and tie it at 4 cm intervals if the butcher has not already done so. Season it evenly with 1½ teaspoons (9 g) of the salt and ½ teaspoon (1 g) of the white pepper. Leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, then take it out while the oven heats to 375°F (190°C). An evenly shaped roast cooks evenly; any thin flap should be tucked underneath before tying.

   The noix is leanest and needs the closest watching. A boned carré has a little more protection, while the loin gives the most even slices.
2. 2

   Brown and roast

   Heat the butter and neutral oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, brown the veal on every side for 6 to 8 minutes, turning only when each surface is properly golden. Add the shallots and thyme, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the centre reaches 140°F (60°C), about 20 to 30 minutes for a boneless roast or 30 to 40 minutes for a bone-in carré. Begin checking early. The temperature should rise to 145°F (63°C) during the rest; waiting for that number in the oven gives cold veal that eats dry.

3. 3

   Cool the veal

   Move the veal to a clean rack and rest it for 20 minutes. Save the roasting juices for another sauce, but do not add them to the aspic because they will cloud it. Once the roast is no longer hot, refrigerate it uncovered for 1 hour, then cover loosely and chill for at least 3 more hours. Do not wrap warm veal tightly; trapped moisture softens the browned surface and encourages the aspic to slide.

4. 4

   Clarify the stock

   Reserve ¾ cup (180 ml) of the cold stock for blooming the gelatin. Whisk the egg whites lightly into the remaining cold stock in a saucepan, then heat slowly while stirring the bottom until soft curds begin to rise. Stop stirring as soon as a raft forms. Make a small opening in the raft and hold the stock at the barest simmer for 15 minutes, ladling a little liquid through the opening now and then. Strain through a fine sieve lined with damp cheesecloth without pressing. Pressing squeezes every captured impurity back into the stock. If the liquid is not perfectly bright, pass it through fresh damp cloth once more.

5. 5

   Make clear aspic

   Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the reserved cold stock and leave it for 10 minutes to swell. Warm the clarified stock without boiling, then whisk in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Add the white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt, and a pinch of white pepper. Set a spoonful in the freezer for 5 minutes and taste it cold. It should be savoury and gently sharp, because cold dulls seasoning. Adjust now. Pour 1½ cups (360 ml) into a shallow dish to make the jelly cubes and chill until firm, about 2 hours. Reserve the rest for the macédoine, mayonnaise, and glaze; if it sets before use, melt it gently over warm water.

6. 6

   Cook the macédoine

   Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) of salt. Add the diced carrot and turnip and cook for 3 minutes, then add the green beans for 2 minutes and the petits pois for the final minute. The Macédoine should be tender but still distinct, not cooked into one soft mixture. Drain immediately, cool in ice water, then drain again and spread the vegetables on a towel until thoroughly dry. Water left on them weakens and clouds the jelly.

7. 7

   Mold the macédoine

   Reserve ¾ cup (about 120 g) of the cooked vegetables for the small salads. Rinse four 4-ounce ramekins with cold water and shake them dry. Mix the remaining vegetables with ¾ cup (180 ml) of liquid aspic, divide among the ramekins, and chill until firm, about 90 minutes. If the vegetables float, chill the mixture for 10 minutes until the aspic begins to thicken, stir once, and return it to the molds. Ça se rattrape.

8. 8

   Make mayonnaise collée

   Whisk the egg yolk with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt, and a pinch of white pepper. Add the oil drop by drop until the emulsion catches, then pour it in a thin steady thread while whisking until the mayonnaise is firm and glossy. If it breaks, put 1 teaspoon of cold water in a clean bowl and whisk the broken mayonnaise into it a spoonful at a time. When smooth, whisk in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of cooled but still liquid aspic. This mayonnaise collée, mayonnaise lightly set with clear jelly, is the home-sized form of the entry's cleared mayonnaise.

9. 9

   Fill the artichokes

   Fold the reserved Macédoine into enough mayonnaise collée to bind the vegetables without burying their colours. Spoon the small salads into the dried artichoke bottoms and shape neat rounded tops. Chill for at least 45 minutes so the mayonnaise collée gains enough body to hold on the platter.

10. 10

    Slice and glaze

    Remove the strings from the thoroughly chilled veal and cut it across the grain into slices about 8 mm thick. Arrange them in an overlapping fan on a cold oval platter and blot away any surface moisture. Cool about ½ cup (120 ml) of melted aspic over ice until it has the consistency of light syrup, then brush a thin coat over the veal. Chill for 5 minutes and repeat twice. If the aspic runs straight onto the platter, it is too warm; chill it until slightly thickened and begin again. If it sets in the bowl, warm it gently. The coat should be transparent and glossy, never heavy or rubbery.

11. 11

    Build the platter

    Dip each Macédoine mold in warm water for 2 seconds, loosen the edge with a fingertip, and turn it onto the platter beside the veal. Arrange the filled artichoke bottoms between the molds. Cut the firm aspic from the shallow dish into clear 1.5 cm cubes and border the entire platter generously, as the source requires. Keep the finished dish cold, then let it stand for 10 minutes before serving so the veal loses its refrigerator chill without softening the jelly. One cook, one stove, one splendid cold table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for a compact, evenly shaped piece. Technique first, always: a modest veal noix watched carefully will eat better cold than an expensive loin left too long in the oven.
• •Use stock that tastes clean and meaty but is not heavily salted. Clarification concentrates its character, and the gelatin cannot hide bitterness or an artificial aftertaste.
• •Frozen petits pois are the honest choice outside their brief season. They were picked sweet and stay green; tired fresh peas bring neither virtue to a Macédoine.
• •The aspic cubes are a test of clarity, not empty decoration. Cut them with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between strokes so their faces stay clean and bright.
• •For outdoor dining, set the platter over a concealed tray of ice and return it to the refrigerator between servings. Do not leave veal and mayonnaise outside for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour in weather above 90°F (32°C).
• •A lightly chilled Beaujolais or a dry white Burgundy suits the delicate veal and the gentle acidity of the jelly. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.

Advance Preparation

• •Roast and chill the veal a day ahead. Keep it whole and loosely covered, then slice and glaze it on the day of service.
• •The clarified aspic and molded Macédoines can be prepared a day ahead. Cover them once set so their surfaces do not dry.
• •Fill the artichoke bottoms and assemble the platter up to 6 hours before serving. Cover without touching the glaze and keep continuously refrigerated.
• •Leftover veal and garnishes keep for up to 2 days under refrigeration, although the aspic is brightest and the vegetables most distinct on the first serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 580g)