Location: My tiny kitchen
What does this look like to you?
A rack of lamb? No, look again…
Still think it is lamb? It is a rack alright! But it is not lamb. This is a rack of veal. Although I’m such a carnivore, it took me some time to learn to appreciate veal. I have always enjoyed eating lamb chops; after all, food that you can eat with your hands always taste better. The same theory goes for a rack of veal. It is juicy and tender. In my carnivorous opinion, a veal rack tastes just as good as a lamb rack, if not better.
Because veal is a very lean meat, this recipe tosses a small piece of compound butter on the veal and let it melt into the meat right after it is cooked. The butter adds flavour to the veal and keeps it succulent.
This recipe serves two people and you will need:
- 1 rack of veal
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of pistachios with shells removed
- mustard
- tarragon
- thyme
1. Rub salt and pepper all over a rack of veal. Let it refrigerate for 12 hours.
2. To make the compound butter, first let butter come to room temperature. Once butter has soften, add:
- 1 tbsp of tarragon
- 1 tbsp of thyme
- 1/2 tsp of salt
Mix the spice and salt into the butter. Put the butter on a piece of plastic wrap and roll it into a tube. Put the butter back into the fridge and let it harden.
3. Turn the oven on to 350F.
4. In a heated pan add 2 tbsp of oil. Put the veal into the pan with meat side facing down. Cover the pan and cook at medium high heat for 5 minutes or until the meat turns golden brown.
5. Mince the pistachios and mix them with 2 tbsp of mustard.
6. Remove the meat from the pan and place it in a glass dish. Spread the pistachios and mustard mixture on the meat side of the veal. Put the veal in the oven and let it roast for 30 minutes. This will cook the veal to medium well.
7. Let the veal rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before cutting.
8. Once the veal is cut, place a small dollop of compound butter on each chop. Scope some pistachios on each chop as well. Serve while the chops are warm.
