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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 7, Saturday

Leek and Bacon Pastries
Blanquette de Veau

Cooking time:  2 hours with breaks for menu       Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

      This braised veal dish is classic French cooking, but very easy. Substitute pork if you prefer. You could do this in a slow-cooker; but if you do, add the carrots half way through. The first course uses the rest of the puff pastry from last week.

Leek and Bacon Pastries

Total time: 30 minutes 
     Little pastries are an easy and elegant first course.  These are simply topped with sautéed leeks and bacon.

 Ingredients:

• puff pastry, 1/2 sheet
• 2 small or 1 large leek
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 tbs whole grain mustard
• 2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
• 10 dry-cured Greek olives or any olives you like
• 1 tsp olive oil

 Instructions:

• Thaw the puff pastry, if needed.
• Trim and thinly slice leeks.
• Cut bacon into thin matchsticks.
• Heat oil in medium skillet, add bacon, leeks and sauté until bacon is crisp and leeks start to brown.
• Mix mustard and yogurt in a small bowl.
• To assemble: Lay out puff pastry and cut two 4 - 5 inch circles (10 - 12 cm).  Use a bowl as a guide.
• Lay pastry on baking sheet, either nonstick or lightly oiled.
• With a knife lightly score a line around the edge of each pastry, about 1/4" (.75 cm) from the edge.  Do not cut through the pastry!  (A butter knife works best.) 
• Divide the yogurt mixture and spread within the scored lines.
• Spread the leeks and bacon on top, dividing evenly between the pastries.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 420F (210C) for 8 - 12 minutes, until edges of pastry have puffed up slightly and are golden brown. 
• To finish: Roughly chop olives. Remove pastries to plates, garnish with chopped olives and serve.

Blanquette de Veau Veal in White Wine Sauce

Total time: 2 hours  
   Braised veal and vegetables, finished with a white wine sauce is a classic French dish, easy to make, delicious, and impressive to serve.  It can easily be expanded for a dinner party.

 Ingredients:

• 14oz (420gr) veal, suitable for braising
• 1 onion
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 bouquet garni
• 2 carrots
• 4 shallots
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups (10oz, 300ml) chicken stock (divided) plus water enough to cover meat in pan
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 125gr) Greek yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche
• Gnocchi, 7oz (210gr)

 Instructions:

• The Veal: 
• Cut meat into large chunks, 1 1/2 " (3.75 cm).
• Cut the onion in half and stud with cloves.
• Peel the carrots and cut in half the short way, then in half the long way.
• Place meat, onion, carrots and bouquet garni in a heavy saucepan or casserole.
• Pour the white wine over and 1 cup of the chicken stock to cover, adding water if needed.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover, reduce heat and simmer, very gently, for 90 minutes.
• The Veg:
• 30 - 45 minutes before veal is done start the vegetables:  Peel the shallots. 
• Brush the mushrooms, remove stems.  Thickly slice if large, leave small mushrooms whole.
• Heat 1 tbs of the butter and the lemon juice in a medium nonstick skillet.
• Add mushrooms and sauté until golden.  Remove and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tbs butter and whole shallots.  Sauté until shallots start to brown.
• Add 1/4 cup chicken stock, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.
• Remove cover and cook off most of the liquid.
• Add mushrooms to pan, cover and turn off heat.
• The Gnocchi:
• Cook according to package directions.
• To Finish: 
• Remove veal and carrots from pot, cover and keep warm.
• Strain cooking liquid, put it back into the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce to 1 cup (or so)
• Turn heat under sauce to medium-low.  Dissolve cornstarch in water and thicken sauce.
• Remove from heat, add yogurt and nutmeg, stirring well. 
• Put the gnocchi onto a platter.  Arrange veal, carrots, shallots and mushroom on top.
• Spoon some sauce over meat, vegetables and pass the rest.

Cooking Schedule: 2 hours with breaks Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid, 2 medium skillets, small bowl, baking sheet, strainer, pot and colander for gnocchi Thaw pastry if needed Cut veal Peel, cut carrot Peel onion, cut in half, stud with cloves Put veal, carrot, onion, herbs in pot Pour wine, stock over, bring to a boil Cover, reduce heat, braise       Take an hour break Turn oven on 420F (210C) Trim, slice leeks Cut bacon Sauté leeks, bacon for pastry Peel shallots Clean, trim mushrooms, slice big ones Sauté mushrooms Put water on high heat for gnocchi

Cut pastry into circles, place on baking sheet Score pastries Remove mushrooms Sauté shallots Mix mustard, yogurt, spread on pastries Chop olives Add stock to shallots, cover and simmer Top pastries with leeks, bacon, bake Dissolve cornstarch in water     pause while pastries bake Remove pastries, garnish with chopped olives, serve Done? Uncover shallots, cook off liquid Add mushrooms to shallots, turn off heat, cover Remove veal, carrots, add to shallots to keep warm Strain cooking stock, return to high heat, reduce Start to cook gnocchi Thicken sauce Strain gnocchi, arrange on platter Add veal, carrots, mushrooms, shallots to gnocchi Add yogurt, nutmeg to sauce, stir to combine Pour sauce over veal and vegetables and serve

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