FRICADELLES DE VEAU À LA NIÇOISE
[Veal Patties with Tomatoes, Onions, and Herbs]
Onions, garlic, and tomatoes are particularly good mixed with ground veal. If you happened to have the remains of a ratatouille (eggplant and tomato casserole), half a cup of it could replace the tomatoes and onions in the following recipe.
For 6 people
½ cup finely minced onions
2 Tb butter
Cook the onions slowly with the butter in a small skillet for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are tender but not browned.
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped
1 clove mashed garlic
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp basil or thyme
A 3-quart mixing bowl
Add the tomatoes, and other ingredients. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Uncover, raise heat, and boil rapidly until the tomato juices have almost entirely evaporated. Scrape into the mixing bowl.
1 cup stale white bread crumbs and ½ cup milk
OR, grind ½ cup of cooked rice with the veal
While the tomatoes are cooking, soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 5 minutes. Pour into a strainer and press out as much of the milk as you can. Add bread crumbs to mixing bowl.
1 lb. or 2 cups lean raw veal, ground with 2 ounces (½ cup) of boiled ham and 2 ounces (½ cup) of ham fat or fresh pork fat
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 Tb minced parsley
1 egg
A wooden spoon
Add the meat, seasonings, parsley, and egg to the mixing bowl and beat vigorously with wooden spoon to blend thoroughly. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more if you feel it necessary. Form the mixture into 6 or 12 balls. Flatten them into patties ½ inch thick with the palm of your hand. If not to be cooked immediately, cover with waxed paper and refrigerate.
½ cup sifted flour spread on a dish
Just before sautéing, dredge the patties in the flour and shake off excess flour.
1 to 2 skillets each containing 2 Tb butter and 1 Tb oil
Set the skillet or skillets over moderately high heat. When you see that the butter foam has almost subsided, brown the patties for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Pour out excess fat, cover and cook very slowly for 15 minutes, turning the patties once.
A hot platter
Arrange the meat on a hot platter with whatever vegetables you have chosen, and keep warm for a moment while finishing the sauce.
⅔ cup brown stock or canned beef bouillon
1 to 2 Tb softened butter
Pour the fat out of the skillet. Add the stock or bouillon and boil rapidly, scraping up coagulated cooking juices and reducing liquid to 3 or 4 spoonfuls. Off heat, swirl in the butter by small spoonfuls. Pour the sauce over the patties, and serve.
(*) AHEAD-OF-TIME NOTE
After the patties have been browned, arrange them in a casserole. De-glaze the skillet with stock and set aside. About 20 to 30 minutes before serving, heat the casserole until the meat is sizzling, cover and finish cooking in a 325-degree oven. Reheat and butter the sauce just before pouring it over the patties.
VARIATION
Fricadelles de Veau à la Crème
[Veal Patties with Cream and Herb Sauce]
½ Tb tarragon or basil
½ cup dry white wine, dry white vermouth, or stock
½ to ¾ cup whipping cream
2 Tb softened butter
½ Tb fresh minced tarragon, basil, or parsley
Cook the patties and remove them to a hot platter as directed in the master recipe. Add the tarragon or basil and wine or stock to the degreased skillet. Boil down liquid to 3 tablespoons, scraping up coagulated cooking juices. Then pour in the cream and boil it down rapidly to reduce and thicken it lightly. Off heat, swirl in the butter by bits, then swirl in the herbs. Pour over the patties.
VARIATIONS: SAUCES
Coulis de Tomates à la Provençale, fresh tomato sauce with herbs
Sauce Brune aux Fines Herbes or à l’Estragon, brown sauce with mixed green herbs or tarragons
Sauce Madère, brown sauce with Madeira wine
Sauce Robert, brown sauce with mustard and onions
Sauce Duxelles, brown sauce with diced mushrooms and herbs
After cooking the patties, deglaze the skillet with half a cup of white wine or white vermouth, then add 1½ to 2 cups of any of the sauces listed at the left. Simmer for a minute or two. Off heat, swirl in 1 to 2 tablespoons of softened butter and pour the sauce over the meat.
VARIATIONS
Use the same mixture of ground veal, onions, and tomatoes as described in the master recipe.
Fricadelles de Veau Duxelles
[Veal Patties with Mushrooms]
¼ lb. finely minced fresh mushrooms
Squeeze the mushrooms, a handful at a time, in the corner of a towel to extract their juice. When the minced onions in the master recipe are tender, add the mushrooms. Raise heat and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and proceed with the recipe.
Fricadelles de Veau Mentonnaise
[Veal Patties with Tuna and Anchovies]
This Italian and Mediterranean combination is especially good accompanied by braised spinach and grilled or baked tomatoes, or fried or sautéed potatoes and a salad of fresh tomatoes.
½ cup drained and mashed canned tuna fish
6 canned anchovy filets drained and mashed, or 1 Tb anchovy paste
Prepare the ground veal mixture as described in the master recipe and beat into it the tuna and anchovies. Then proceed with the recipe.
Patties Using Cooked Ground Veal
Follow any of the preceding combinations, substituting cooked veal for raw veal. To prevent the meat from being too dry, add to the mixture ½ cup of sausage meat or an additional ¼ cup of ground ham fat or pork fat.
Pain de Veau
[Veal Loaf]
Use any of the preceding ground veal combinations and pack the meat in a loaf pan or a soufflé mold. Over the top of the meat lay 2 or 3 strips of blanched bacon. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 to 1½ hours.
The loaf is done when the meat has shrunk slightly from the sides of the mold and the surrounding juices are clear yellow with no trace of rosy color, or at a meat-thermometer reading of 175 to 180 degrees. Unmold the loaf and serve it with a tomato sauce. If the loaf is to be served cold, place a weight on top of it after cooking to compress the meat as it cools.
PORK
Porc
MARINADES
Fresh pork, whether it is a large piece for roasting, or a thin piece for sautéing, will be tenderer and have a more interesting flavor if it receives a marination before cooking. This is not an essential step, but you will find it most effective, and cold leftovers will be even better than usual. You may use a simple dry mixture of salt, herbs, and spices, or a liquid marinade of either lemon juice or wine and vinegar with herbs and aromatic vegetables.
Always marinate the meat in a noncorroding container: porcelain, pyrex, enamelware, or stainless steel.
TIME REQUIRED
(If the meat is refrigerated, increase the minimum marination time by at least one third.)
Chops and steaks—a minimum of 2 hours; 6 to 12 are even better.
Loin roasts—a minimum of 6 hours, but 24 are recommended.
Fresh hams and picnic shoulders—a minimum of 2 days, but 4 to 5 are more effective.
MARINADE SÈCHE
[Salt Marinade with Herbs and Spices]
Fine for all types of fresh pork. This is our favorite, as it tenderizes the pork and accentuates its natural flavor.
Per pound of pork
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp ground thyme or sage
⅛ tsp ground bay leaf
Pinch of allspice
Optional: ½ clove mashed garlic
Mix all the ingredients together and rub them into the surface of the pork. Place in a covered
bowl. Turn the meat 2 or 3 times if the marinade is a short one; several times a day if it is of long duration.
Before cooking, scrape off the marinade, and dry the meat thoroughly with paper towels.
MARINADE SIMPLE
[Lemon Juice and Herb Marinade]
For chops, steaks, and small, boned roasts. This is also an effective marinade giving the pork a slightly different flavor than the dry one.
Per pound of pork
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
3 Tb lemon juice
3 Tb olive oil
3 parsley sprigs
¼ tsp thyme or sage
1 bay leaf
1 clove mashed garlic
Rub salt and pepper into the meat. Mix the other ingredients in a bowl, add the pork and baste it. Place a lid over the bowl. Turn and baste the meat 3 or 4 times during its marination period.
Before cooking, scrape off the marinade, and dry the meat thoroughly with paper towels.
MARINADE AU VIN
[Wine Marinade]
May be used for chops, steaks, and small roasts, but is usually reserved for fresh hams and picnic shoulders. This is a special 2- to 4-day marinade which gives pork a taste akin to that of wild boar, marcassin.
[NOTE: If the pork is to be marinated for more than 3 days, cook the carrots, onions, and garlic very slowly in the olive oil before proceeding with the recipe.]
Per each 3 pounds of pork
1 Tb salt
1 cup dry white wine or ⅔ cup dry white vermouth
½ cup wine vinegar
4 Tb olive oil
3 halved cloves garlic
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup thinly sliced onions
½ tsp peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
Optional: ¼ tsp each of basil, tarragon, sage, and mint; 5 coriander seeds; 5 juniper berries
Rub salt into the pork. Mix the other ingredients in a bowl, add the meat and baste it. Place a lid over the bowl. Turn and baste the meat 3 or 4 times a day. Before cooking, scrape off the marinade and drain the meat for half an hour or so. Then dry it thoroughly with paper towels.
ROAST PORK
Rôti de Porc
Pork may be roasted slowly in an open pan in a 325-degree oven, and basted occasionally with a spoonful or two of wine, stock, or water to aid in the dissolution of its fat. But we think pork is more tender and juicy if it is browned in hot fat, then roasted like veal in a covered casserole. This slow, steamy cooking tenderizes the meat and renders out the fat very effectively.
PREPARATION OF ROASTS FOR COOKING
The flavors of a marinade will penetrate pork more thoroughly if the meat is boned; it is rolled and tied after marination. All but a ⅛-inch layer of outside fat should be cut off, as well as any loose interior fat or heavy layers of fat. If you are using a fresh ham or shoulder, remove the rind; it may be frozen and used whenever you are cooking braised meat to give body to the sauce.
CUTS FOR ROASTING OR BRAISING
One pound of boneless pork will serve 2 or 3 people. For bone-in roasts, particularly the loin, allow ¾ pound per person.
Loin of Pork—Longe. The loin is divided into the following cuts:
Center Cut—Milieu de Filet. This is lean meat, and corresponds to the porterhouse and T-bone steak section of beef with both loin and tenderloin. If it is not boned and rolled, have the backbone part removed for easier carving.
Rib Cut—Carré. This is lean meat, and corresponds to the rib section of beef with loin but no tenderloin. If it is not boned and rolled, have the backbone section removed.
Loin End—Pointe de Filet. This corresponds to the rump of beef and should be boned. It makes a juicy roast with a combination of fat and lean.
Shoulder or Blade End—Échine. This combination of fat and lean is a favorite roasting cut in France; it is the shoulder-chop end of the loin and should be boned.
Shoulder Butt or Boston Butt—Palette. The shoulder butt is a combination of fat and lean and should be boned.
Picnic Shoulder or Shoulder Arm—No French equivalent: part of it is palette; part is jambonneau. This is lean meat, and should be boned.
Fresh Ham—Jambon Frais. Fresh ham is lean meat. It may be bought whole, or in part, and may be boned or not, as you wish.
TEMPERATURE AND TIMING FOR ROAST PORK
Pork, in our opinion, develops its best flavor and texture when it is cooked to an interior temperature of 180 to 185 degrees on a meat thermometer. At this point all its juices have turned clear yellow with no trace of rosy color, and the meat is somewhat gray with only a suggestion of pink overtone. It was authoritatively established as far back as the year 1919 that trichinae are killed at a meat temperature of 131 degrees (137 degrees for official purposes) or when the pork is still rare. In view of this fact there is no reason whatsoever for overcooking pork until it is dry and lifeless.
From 30 to 45 minutes per pound are required to roast a 3- to 8-pound piece of unchilled fresh pork to an internal temperature of 180 to 185 degrees. A long, thin, pork loin takes less time to roast than a thick fresh ham or shoulder of the same weight. Boned roasts usually require 5 to 10 minutes per pound more than bone-in roasts. As it takes a good hour for a large roast to cool off when it is out of the oven, you can afford to allow yourself plenty of time. Here are some examples for covered roasting in a 325-degree oven:
A 3-pound loin
Bone In—1½ to 1¾ hours
Boned and Rolled—1¾ to 2 hours
A 5-pound loin
Bone In—2½ to 3 hours
Boned and Rolled—3 to 3½ hours
A 5-pound fresh ham or picnic
Bone In—About 3½ hours
Boned and Rolled—About 4 hours
VEGETABLE SUGGESTIONS
Potatoes
Roast potatoes, which may cook with the pork
Sautéed potatoes, which may be done in pork fat rather than butter
Boiled potatoes, plain, mashed potatoes, or the garlic mashed potatoes
Scalloped potatoes with stock and cheese, or with tomatoes and onions
Other vegetables
Braised white cabbage, red cabbage, or sauerkraut, which may cook with the pork
Brussels sprouts braised in butter, or with cheese
Braised leeks, or braised celery root
Stuffed tomatoes; ratatouille (eggplant and tomato casserole)
Glazed onions, or turnips, which may cook with the pork
See also the fruit suggestions (apples, peaches, and cherries) in the Duck section; and the prunes in the Goose section
WINE SUGGESTIONS
Serve a dry white wine, Riesling, Traminer, white Côtes du Rhône, or a rosé.
RÔTI DE PORC POÊLÉ
[Casserole-roasted Pork]
As most French recipes call for a boneless roast, we shall so specify in this recipe and its variations. The loin is the most expensive cut and also the most attractive looking. But any other cut among those listed may be substituted, and may be boned or not.
For 6 people
A 3-lb. boneless roast of pork, previously marinated, if you wish, according to one of the suggestions
4 Tb rendered pork fat, lard, or cooking oil
A heavy fireproof casserole just large enough to hold the meat
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dry the meat thoroughly on paper towels. Place the fat in the casserole and set over moderately high heat. When fat is almost smoking, brown the pork on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove pork to a side dish.
2 Tb butter, if needed
1 sliced yellow onion
1 sliced carrot
Optional: 2 cloves unpeeled garlic
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth
Pour all but 2 spoonfuls of fat out of the casserole. If fat has burned, throw it all out and add more butter. Stir in the vegetables, optional garlic,
and herb bouquet. Cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes.
A bulb baster
Place the meat in the casserole, its fattiest side up. (If pork was not marinated, season it with salt and pepper, and half a teaspoon of sage or thyme.) Cover the casserole and heat it until the meat is sizzling, then place in lower third of preheated oven for about 2 hours or to a meat-thermometer reading of 180 to 185 degrees. Baste the roast 2 or 3 times during this period with the juices in the casserole, and regulate oven heat so the pork is cooking slowly and evenly. The pork and vegetables will render about 1 cup of juices as they roast.
A hot platter
When it is done, place the pork on a hot serving platter and discard trussing strings.
½ cup dry white wine, stock, canned bouillon, or water
A hot gravy boat
Pour the liquid into the casserole and simmer slowly for 2 to 3 minutes. Then tilt the casserole and skim out all but a tablespoon or two of fat. Mash the vegetables into the juices; boil rapidly until you have about 1 cup. Strain into a hot gravy boat. Surround the pork roast with whatever vegetable garnish you have chosen, and serve.