The veal deal

THE fields surrounding The Peat Inn are flecked with white but these smudges have nothing to do with the cold start to the month. They are something far lovelier: in a springtime which seems to have taken an eternity to gain momentum, lambing season has begun.

But if lamb is in the fields, it follows that it is not in the shops. Like many food lovers, I am gripped by the urge to eat lamb at this time of year, but lamb purchased now has spent a winter indoors; spring lamb won’t be ready until June at the earliest.

An alternative with a springtime feel is British rose veal. If milk or yogurt form part of your diet, veal must be included too. Surplus male calves are the by-product of a dairy industry needing only females for milking. Traditionally the males have been shipped abroad or slaughtered at birth – both options are surely inhumane. Thank goodness for the farmers now raising (male) veal outdoors, on grass, just like the lamb or beef you happily eat. If these same veal calves were left beyond the slaughter date of eight months for another year they would be beef. Eating a younger version is no different from eating young lamb.

It even cooks similarly, from luscious chops to succulent stewing meat. Rose veal is as ethical as it is delicious. Next time you reach for milk, ask what should happen to the male calves. CASSEROLE OF VEAL WITH LEMON, ROSEMARY AND MARSALA Serves 4 20 pearl onions A bushy sprig of rosemary 600g diced British rose veal shoulder 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced 120g chestnut or button mushrooms, cut into quarters 200ml marsala or madeira 400ml chicken stock 100ml double cream or more to taste 1 lemon 1 Leave the skin on the pearl onions, put them in a small pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes then drain and leave to cool until you can handle them comfortably, then slip the skins off and set the onions aside. Meanwhile, strip the leaves from the rosemary sprig, reserving the stalk. Chop the leaves finely and set aside. 2 Heat a casserole pot over a moderate heat for one minute then add a couple of dessertspoons of vegetable oil. Add the veal, season lightly with salt and brown swiftly and briefly, removing it on to a plate once lightly browned all over and seasoning with fresh ground black pepper. If necessary, brown the meat in batches so the pan is not overcrowded. 3 Once all the meat is browned, lower the heat a little, add a touch more oil to the pan and add the diced onion, stirring all the time until it begins to soften. After five minutes or so add the garlic and mushrooms, frying these so they caramelise lightly. After a further five minutes add the pearl onions and three-quarters of the chopped rosemary leaves, reserving the rest for later. Stir well to combine, frying everything together for one minute. Return the meat to the pan and add the marsala or madeira and the rosemary stalk. 4 Once the wine has reduced to a compotelike consistency, add the stock and bring to a simmer, skimming off any impurities from the surface with a ladle, until the meat is tender and cooked – about 45-60 minutes. Now stir in the cream. Grate the lemon and stir in the zest, then leave to stand for 15 minutes. Remove the rosemary stalk, stir in the reserved rosemary leaves and taste for seasoning. Add some juice from the lemon if you wish, then serve with lots of green vegetables and steamed potatoes or thick noodles. VEAL CHOPS WITH CAPERS, THYME AND BAYLEAF Serves 4 4tbsp olive oil Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 rose veal chops (these could be replaced with less expensive rump steaks) 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, bashed 2 bay leaves 150ml white wine 1.5tbsp capers, rinsed 3tbsp double cream or creme fraiche 1 In an ovenproof dish large enough to hold all the chops in one layer, whisk together 3tbsp olive oil, the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, the thyme and several twists of black pepper. Add the chops, garlic and bay and turn over in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for a couple of hours. 2 Heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Lift the chops from the dish, reserving the marinade, pat them dry on kitchen paper and warm the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium-tohigh heat. Season the chops and fry on both sides for one to two minutes until browned, then place them back in the marinade dish. De-glaze the frying pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and pour the wine from the pan and the remaining lemon juice into the oven dish. Give everything a stir and cook, uncovered, in the oven for 20 minutes, basting twice during cooking. 3 Place the chops on a warm plate. Put the oven dish on the hob over a medium-to-low heat (if it’s unsuitable for the stove top, tip the juices into a small pan), stir in the capers and cream, adjust the seasoning and simmer gently for one to two minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve. Geoffrey Smeddle is the chef patron of The Peat Inn, by St Andrews, Fife. Visit www. thepeatinn.co.uk or call 01334 840206.