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How To Cook: Braises & Stews: Recipe: Daniel Boulud's Veal Shoulder Forestière au Riesling

Note: This recipe is adapted from Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine (Ecco), by Daniel Boulud and Melissa Clark

1 4-pound boneless veal shoulder roast, trimmed of fat and tied
6 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
Coarse sea or kosher salt
2 tablespoons savory or marjoram leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons green peppercorns, cracked
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 shallots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 leek, trimmed, white part cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and 1 green reserved for the bouquet garni
2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, trimmed and split
1/2 pound white button mushrooms, trimmed
1/4 pound lobster, shiitake or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups dry Riesling
Bouquet garni (2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 sprig thyme and 1 bay leaf wrapped in the reserved leek green and tied with twine)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F, with the rack in center position.

2. Make 1-inch-deep incisions all over the meat with a sharp, pointed knife. Stuff the garlic quarters into the incisions, and rub the veal well with salt, 1 tablespoon of the savory and the peppercorns.

3. Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron pot or Dutch oven set over high heat. Add the veal, and sear until golden-brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes total. Transfer the veal to a platter.

4. Add the butter, shallots and leek to the pot, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the turnips, and cook until light golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until they begin to release their liquid, about 10 minutes. Season, and add the wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the bouquet garni and the veal, and transfer the pot to the oven.

5. Braise, uncovered or loosely covered with buttered parchment paper, for 45 minutes, basting and turning the veal several times.

6. Uncover, if covered, and add 1 cup of the cream. Cover with buttered parchment, and continue braising, basting and turning the veal every 20 minutes, until the meat is very tender, about 1 hour.

7. Remove the pot from the oven, and let the veal rest for 20 minutes in the liquid. Transfer the veal to a large serving platter, and reserve, keeping warm.

8. Remove the bouquet garni, and discard. Set the pot with the liquid on the stove set over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup cream with the egg yolks in a small bowl. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the egg-yolk mixture. Pour the sauce and vegetables around the veal. Garnish with the parsley leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the savory, and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Wine match: Weinbach Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée Ste.-Catherine L'Inédit 2005 (94, $79)

Source: “How To Cook: Braises & Stews: Recipe: Daniel Boulud's Veal Shoulder Forestière au Riesling,” Laurie Woolever, Wine Spectator, September 22, 2007