Veal Stew

Here are all the steps to make the recipe for veal stew, a rich and traditional meat and potato main course that makes the whole family happy. The term stew indicates a dish with meat cut into bites and then stewed, gently and for a long time. To prepare an excellent veal stew, the most important thing is to choose the right meat: the most suitable cuts are cattle rich in connective tissue and collagen between the muscle bundles that keep the pulp tender during cooking, such as a brisket. The choice of saucepan is also essential: stone and cast iron, for example, are ideal for prolonged cooking because they absorb heat and distribute it evenly and gradually to the heart of the meat morsels. The stew, once cooked, can be accompanied with potatoes, but also with rice pilaf, polenta or mashed potatoes. The Italian way with stew is very much like the stews of other cuisines. The main difference lies in the use of a soffritto of aromatic vegetables to start with, before you add the meat. Veal Stew with Polenta to be enjoyed with Granfà Cesanese is a tasty meat main course idea, ideal in the cold season when you want a comfortable dish that warms you up.

Ingredients

1 kg blanched veal

500 g potatoes

120 g sweet stretched bacon

40 g flour

30 g butter

2 celery stalks

2 carrots

1 onion

white wine

parsley

bay leaf

rosemary

sage

extra virgin olive oil

salt

Pepper

Procedure

Trim the cut of meat from the thickest fatty parts, without removing too much connective tissue that will serve to make it tender. Cut it into bite-sized pieces about 3-4 cm thick, cutting perpendicular to the fibers; This is also necessary to obtain a softer texture. Cut the bacon into cubes. Peel the vegetables and cut them into cubes of about 1 cm. Fry them with bacon and butter in a large saucepan for 5-6 minutes. Flour the meat and brown it over high heat in a pan with a drizzle of oil for a couple of minutes. Transfer the browned morsels to the pot with the vegetables, deglaze with a glass of wine, add 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of rosemary and some sage leaves, then salt, pepper and wet with 2 glasses of water (or broth). Cover and cook over low heat for an hour and 15 minutes, adding another glass of water or broth if necessary. Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into wedges, add them to the meat and cook for another 40-45 minutes. Complete with a large sprig of chopped parsley and serve. Serve the stew piping hot, accompanied by mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or, if you are in winter, with good polenta.

Wine experts think this Central Italy ''Lazio'' Red wine would be a match made in heaven with this dish.

Granfà Cesanese

Tasting note

Medium intensity garnet with an orange edge. Intense, clear pink nose, sour red fruit, black cherry. Balsamic, coriander. Fresh medium-bodied acid with good progression from fruit to roots, excellent tannin. Medium persistence which confirms the final dark notes. An interesting Cesanese outside the classic area. Drink fresh but not banal.