I HAVE FOR THE MOST PART STOPPED EATING VEAL. FIRST, BECAUSE THE MILK-FED VEAL WE GET IN THIS COUNTRY IS A PRODUCT OF THE CRUELEST KIND OF FACTORY FARMING, AND SECOND, BECAUSE FREE-RANGE VEAL– THE KIND YOU GET IN EUROPE– IS ALMOST AS RARE HERE AS IT IS EXPENSIVE.
McCALL’S MEAT AND FISH SOURCE WHAT THEY CALL “COMMUNALLY-RAISED” VEAL, IMPLYING A COLLEGIAL, KIBBUTZ-LIKE ENVIRONMENT PRIOR TO SLAUGHTER. THIS VEAL IS BEEFIER THAN MILK-FED VEAL AND MUCH MORE TASTY. SO, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, I SUCCUMB TO TEMPTATION AND PONY UP FOR VEAL STEW MEAT FOR BLANQUETTE DE VEAU OR THICK-CUT RIB CHOPS. THE LATE-GREAT JOEL ROBUCHON HAS A SIMPLE BUT PERFECT RECIPE IN SIMPLY FRENCH, THE COOKBOOK HE CO-AUTHORED WITH PATRICIA WELLS. THE CHOPS ARE PAN-COOKED WITH SMALL CUBES OF BACON AND VEAL TRIMMINGS. ADD A WHOLE HEAD OF UNPEELED GARLIC AND A FEW SPRIGS OF THYME, BASTE WITH BUTTER AND PAN DRIPPINGS THROUGHOUT THE COOKING PROCESS AND THE RESULT IS BROWNED BUT SUCCULENT CHOPS. SINCE THIS IS YOUR SINFULLY DECADENT MAIN COURSE, IT’S WORTH DEVOTING SOME TIME AND EFFORT TO SOME INTERESTING SIDE DISHES, SUCH AS CIPOLLINI, CARROTS WITH TARRAGON AND LEMON ZEST, AND A GREEN VEGETABLE SUCH AS STRING BEANS, BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, OR SPINACH.
