VEAL IN RED WINE WITH BACON & MUSHROOMS

This beef recipe is usually made with veal chops, but I had a cut called Y-bone, from the shoulder, and that being cheaper, sometimes it doesn't come out as tender as the other grilled steaks. They were also very large, almost 1/2 kilo each, and I read that it was recommended to stew them, and well, yesterday I decided to try it by making this recipe. It turned out spectacularly good, and it's very easy to make. I also have to say that the mashed potatoes here work wonderfully, because when mixed with the sauce they taste exceptionally good.... And of course, you can also mop in bread if you prefer it! We try not to eat too much bread, and that's why potatoes are perfect!!

Ingredients

1 kg veal

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (75g) plain flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 thick rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon, cut into 5 mm lardons

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 cup (250ml) dry red wine

1 generous sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup veal stock

200g button mushrooms

mashed potatoes to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Roll meat in seasoned flour (easiest to do in a plastic bag) and set aside.

Gently heat olive oil in an enamelled cast-iron casserole over low heat and saute bacon until fat has rendered.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon.

Brown meat in remaining fat, in batches if necessary. 

Lift meat from casserole and set aside.

Saute garlic for one minute. Deglaze casserole with wine, scraping and stirring well. Return meat to casserole setting it down into the bubbling wine. Scatter bacon into casserole. 

Drop in thyme and bay leaf. Add sufficient stock to barely cover meat.

Cover casserole with lid and cook in oven for 1 hour.

Check that meat is nearly tender, then drop in mushrooms and cook for another 30 minutes. 

If the sauce has a consistency that is too thin, you can mix 1 Tbsp of soft butter with a Tbsp of flour and add to casserole, stirring to mix it with the sauce. Let it boil for about 5 minutes and serve.

Serve with the mash potatoes.

Serves 4