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Menu Plan for the week of Feb. 22, 2013: Day 2 Recipes

Braised Veal with Olives and Capers
Wild Rice Mushroom Pilaf

Cooking time:  70 minutes for menu     Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

        Half of the Wild Rice is for the Casserole on Day 3.

Braised Veal with Olives and Capers               Preparation and cooking time:  70 minutes
     Large pieces of tender veal, braised with 2 kinds of olives and finished with capers; all in a simple white wine sauce.

14oz (400gr) veal
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) white wine
2 medium - large carrots
1 onion
10 black olives  I used dry-cured Greek olives
10 green olives   I used pimento-stuffed olives
2 tbs capers
2 bay (laurel) leaves
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water

Cut veal into large chunks if needed.  Peel and slice carrots.  Roughly chop onion. Slice olives in thirds.  Heat olive oil in medium Dutch oven or other pot with tight-fitting lid.  Add veal and brown on all side.  Add white wine and stir up any brown bits on the bottom.  Add carrots, onion, green olives and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 60 minutes. 
Dissolve cornstarch in water.  Turn the heat up under the pot and uncover.  Add capers and black olives; remove bay leaves.  Give the cornstarch mixture a stir and add to the pan a little at a time, stirring, until thickened to your liking.   Remove from heat and serve.

Wild Rice with Mushrooms                                 Preparation and cooking time:   50 minutes
     Wild rice is a grass, rather than a rice. This is finished with sautéed mushrooms and onion.  This makes enough for 4; or 2 with half left for another use.

1 cup wild rice
1 1/2 cups (12oz, 360ml) beef stock
1 1/2 cups water
4oz (120gr) mushrooms
1/2 onion
2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbs sherry

Rinse rice and put into a medium saucepan.  Add stock, water and bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 - 45 minutes.  Check your package for proper directions and proportions - it may vary.  Cooking time will vary according to freshness of rice, altitude, whatever.  Simmer until tender.  We prefer to have most of the kernels  "popped".  When rice is done, remove, put into a serving dish and keep warm.  (If there is any stock left when the rice is done just drain it.)
Vertically slice onion.  Trim and slice mushrooms.  Heat butter and oil in a large, nonstick skillet.  Sauté onions for 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until both are light brown.  Add rice, , sherry, stir well, cover and heat through.  Serve.

Cooking Schedule: 70 minutes for menu Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, Dutch oven or pot with lid, medium saucepan with lid, large skillet medium skillet Cut veal Heat oil in Dutch oven, add veal, brown Peel, slice carrots Chop onion, slice olives Mind the veal Add wine, carrots, onion, green olives, bay, to veal

Cover, simmer Rinse wild rice, cook     45 minute break Slice onion, sauté Trim, slice mushrooms Add mushrooms to onions, sauté When rice is done, drain, add to skillet Add sherry, cover, heat Add black olives, capers to veal, remove bay Dissolve cornstarch in water Increase heat under veal, add cornstarch, thicken Serve half the rice, all the veal

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By Katie Zeller

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