Filet of Veal in Parsley Crust
Tender baby spring vegetables circle each plate, ending in a slice of pink veal circled with pale green stuffing. The celeriac in mustard sauce and pickled rhubarb add distinct northern European touches. Chef Henriksen says that the rhubarb is always a hit, and explains that he decided to pour the hot syrup over the rhubarb rather than poaching the rhubarb in the syrup because poaching always makes rhubarb fall apart into strings. This rhubarb emerges deep red and whole. Dry the parsley thoroughly before making the stuffing, as moisture w ill change the consistency of the stuffing. Make sure the chicken and cream are very cold before beginning to work with them and do not taste the raw mixture. The chef describes how to taste test the stuffing.
Ingredients
- Pickled Rhubarb
- water - 1 cup
- sugar - 1 cup
- grenadine syrup - 1 cup
- rhubarb stalks, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1/4 inch pieces - 2
- Veal
- parsley, washed and thoroughly dried - 1 large bunch
- boneless chicken breast, skinned, trimmed and roughly chopped - 4 oz
- heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 cup
- veal tenderloin - 2 lbs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper - to Taste
- Baby Vegetables
- baby carrots, tops trimmed to 'Ainch, blanched - 4
- unsalted butter - 2 tbs
- snap peas, blanched - 8
- baby cauliflower florets, blanched - 4
- baby turnips, tops trimmed to 1/2 inch, blanched - 4
- baby new potatoes, pared and blanched - 4
- Dijon-style mustard - 2 tbs
- heavy (whipping) cream - 1 cyp
- cornstarch - 1 tbs
- water - 2 tbs
- celeriac (celery root) bulb, cut into small diamond-shaped dice, blanched - 1/2 bulb
- parsley - 4 sprigs
Instructions
To prepare the rhubarb: Combine the water, sugar and grenadine syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly. Put the rhubarb in a bowl and pour the hot syrup over the rhubarb. Cover w ith a plate and let cool to room temperature, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least overnight. The rhubarb will hold up to 1week in the refrigerator.
To prepare the veal: Cut an 18 inch square piece of parchment paper and lay on a work surface. Put the parsley in a food processor with the chicken breast meat and blend for 1 minute, stopping twice to scrape down the sides. Season with salt and pepper. With the machine running, add the cream a little at a time and blend. The stuffing should hold its shape. To test the stuffing, form a small ball and put in gently boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove; check to see that it holds together, and check for seasoning. Do not taste the raw stuffing, as it contains raw chicken.
Spread the center of the parchment paper evenly with some of the chicken mixture, making a square as wide as the veal is long. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Place the veal on the stuffing and wrap the paper around the veal, noting how much of the paper is needed to completely encircle the veal. Unwrap and spread all this area with more filling, stopping the filling at each end of the veal. Rewrap the parchment paper over the veal and press it tightly against the meat, pressing into the crease with a long spatula to get it tight. Check to be sure the filling completely wraps around the veal; add more if necessary. Cut off the ends of the paper; no need to be neat here. Place in a baking pan. Chill for at least 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the packet in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes for rare, or to taste. Remove and cover with foil; set aside to rest for 10to 15minutes.
To prepare the vegetables: Cut the carrots in half lengthwise. Melt the butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and add the peas, cauliflower, carrots, turnips, and potatoes. Gently warm the vegetables in the butter, stirring occasionally, until they are hot. Mix the mustard and cream in a small saute pan and cook over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Take the mustard sauce off the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Put back over medium heat and stir gently until it thickens. Add the celeriac and toss gently to coat the pieces and warm them.
To serve: Divide baby vegetables among four warmed serving plates, placing them in a circle around each plate and leaving a spot for the veal. Slice the veal roll into four equal pieces. Unwrap the paper and place one slice on each plate. Spoon celeriac and sauce in the center. Place a few pieces of rhubarb beside the veal. Garnish each with a parsley sprig.
