British Rose Veal & Cauliflower Dhansak

This curry was really never meant to happen.  You see, we were doing a freezer audit yesterday when out came a plastic bag with what appeared to be meat in it.  The appearance looked for all the world like as though it was the other half of a roasted joint of meat, that we'd forgotten about and had been pushed to the back of the freezer.  I decided to defrost it and use it up over successive lunches, whatever it was.

Well, it turned out to be two lovely but raw British rose veal steaks.  Oops!

I was planning a lamb & cauliflower curry this week, so it occurred to me that to make it veal instead of lamb was no bad thing.  I'd never had a veal curry before and the thought appealed to me.

It had been ages since I made a home-spiced curry - that is, one where I choose the type and amounts of spices used, instead of one where we just use a Sharwood's curry paste for speed - and for all that the results can be a bit hit and miss, I thought I'd give it a go.

I had been intending to make the lamb curry one that was finished in the oven, rather than the speedier "on the hob" type of curries that we so often make and continued with that for the veal.  British rose veal is naturally very tender and as such not really suited to the more hurried "on the hob" type of cooking, which can either dry it out or toughen it.  You really need one of two ways with it - either quick cooking in a frying pan which doesn't allow it to toughen or longer, slower cooking that softens the fibres and gently encourages them to become tender, whilst retaining all the natural moisture in the meat.  So the long, slow, oven based cook was perfect.

One aspect of currying British rose veal did concern me, which was that I didn't want to lose the delicate flavour of the meat by bashing it over the head with curry spices.  However, for all that the sauce is right up there in the flavour department, the meat withstands it exceptionally well and if anything the flavour was enhanced rather than overpowered.  To make sure that your veal doesn't become swamped, make sure to cut your pieces into a decent size.  Ours were a decent forkful sort of sized and I'm quite sure that smaller pieces would easily have succumbed to the powerful flavours going on in the sauce.

I know that the spice list seems a bit daunting and over-long, but bear with it.  The riot of all those different flavours - coupled with the onion, garlic, veal and cauliflower - is really lovely and well worth the effort of digging them out of your spice rack and working your way through them.

The other thing that is very well worth doing, is toasting the three types of seed.  I know this seems like a faff and you find yourself thinking "well it can't affect the flavour THAT much, surely!", but it does.  It really does!  As such, you would be well advised to make the curry earlier on in the day, when you have more time to spare and aren't watching the clock so badly as at dinner time.  That way, you can take your time and carry each process out with care and a little bit of extra love, which will all tell when it comes to the eating.  At dinner time, just switch the oven back on, pop the casserole dish back in and give it a half hour to heat up.  In the meantime you can be cooking the rice and everything will happen in a relaxed and easy manner.  Perfect.

The end result is not a saucy, wet curry - but a hearty, filling curry that is best eaten with rice and maybe some poppadoms with chutney.  Definitely not a naan bread, dipping style kind of curry.  It is also quite light on the tummy from a fat point of view, as British rose veal is naturally very lean and no extra yoghurt or cream goes in.  However, it definitely isn't light on the tummy from a spices point of view!  So many of the spices used here are good for you in various ways, however, that instead of leaving you feeling heavy and sluggish, this curry can leave you feeling rather energised and you can almost feel it doing you good.

As the recipe stands, the curry is not a spicy hot one.  There is very little actual chilli goes into it - just a pinch of red chilli flakes and however much there is in the curry powder and Garam Masala.  So, if you like your curries rather more in the nose-meltingly spicy range, you might need to up the quantities of chilli flakes you add.

Also, please don't be tempted to drop the jaggery goor or brown sugar at the end of the curry.  The sugar is quite fundamental to the sweet/bitter flavour balance of the spices and without the added sugar, the curry might taste too bitter to your palate.  You can always add the sugar to taste and if you like it with less, or want to add more, then go ahead!  Everyone's taste buds differ.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this curry - and I hope you enjoy it too.

I'm really quite proud to announce that this recipe has been awarded eRecipe.com's "Recipe of the Day"!




BRITISH ROSE VEAL & CAULIFLOWER DHANSAK   (serves 3-4)

Ingredients :

1.5 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
0.5 tsp fennel seeds
1.5 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp mild curry powder
a pinch of red chilli flakes
2 tbsp groundnut oil
500g British rose veal, trimmed and cut into cubes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 baby onions, peeled & halved
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 tomato, chopped
1 potato, peeled and cut into cubes (a waxy potato such as Jelly is best)
1 baby cauliflower, divided into eight pieces
500ml veal stock
3 tbsp red lentils
1 heaped tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp jaggery goor, or light brown sugar.

Method :

1.  To begin with, make the spice mix by taking a small frying pan and adding the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fennel seeds.  Dry fry the seeds until they are toasty, slightly coloured and fragrant.  Decant them into a pestle & mortar and grind them into powder.  Add the ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground fenugreek, ground turmeric, ground ginger, curry powder and chilli flakes and mix to combine.  Set this mixture aside.

2.  Take a large high sided frying pan and add the oil over a high heat.  Once the oil is smoking hot, gently add the veal pieces and fry until caramelised on at least two sides.  Decant, using a slotted spoon, into a casserole dish (with a lid) and add the potato and cauliflower to the dish.

3.  Add the onion, baby onions and garlic to the pan and season with a pinch of sea salt and a good quantity of freshly ground black pepper.  Cook slowly over a moderate heat until the chopped onion is transparent but a light golden colour and just beginning to caramelise on the edges.  Beware of burning the garlic, so don't try to hurry this process by increasing the heat.

4.  Add the tomato and cook for a few moments to soften.

5.  Add the spice mix and stir to combine.  Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes until the raw edge has gone and the spices are smelling fragrant.

6.  Add the veal stock and stir to combine.

7.  Add the lentils, fenugreek leaves, Garam Masala and jaggery (or sugar).  Stir to combine, then once the sauce begins to thicken, taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.

8.  Decant the sauce into the casserole dish and stir gently to make sure everything is coated.

9.  Add the lid and place into a pre-heated oven at 160degC/325degF/Gas 3 for 2 hours.

10.  Once the two hours are up, remove the lid and very gently stir the contents.  If necessary, add a little more boiling water to loosen the sauce - and serve with steamed basmati rice.

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So does starting with a Takeaway, constitute a meal planning fail?

Bacon pea & mint pasta

I suspect it probably does - but it had been an absolute aeon since we'd had an Indian takeaway and, although I'd been lusting after a Chicken Tikka Masala, I eventually plumped for a Lamb Biryani with Vegetable curry, together with a Saag bhajee and Peshwari naan to share amongst the three of us.

I know, it was frivolous and shameful - but boy oh boy, did it taste good!

I've posted the photograph of the meal up on Rhubarb & Ginger's Facebook page, together with a few other Facebook pages and had a mixture of reactions to it.  They range from "you eat that?" to "cor, I would!".  The funniest reaction - for me - was from my lovely friend Jasvinder Singh, who lives in Northern India and who professed that the photograph left him cold!  I keep telling him - it's a whole different world here to where he is!

Takeaway : makes my mouth water - but then I know how it tasted!

Last week got away from me before I could post up the menu plan, but we had some great meals.  Those that will be blogged in due course included a Chicken Paprikash and a Spiced vegetable and lentil soup that I loved but that left hubby feeling distinctly "meh!".

So what's on the menu for this week then?  Well, I think we've got some interesting meals coming up :

Tues : (should have been Bacon pea & mint pasta) Indian takeaway

Weds : (should have been Nasi Goreng) Bacon pea & mint pasta

Thurs : Seco de Chivo (or "Dry Goat") with either rice or couscous

Fri : Hampshire Hash with vegetables

Sat : Fish & Pea Cakes, new potatoes, carrots, asparagus & tartare sauce

Sun : Osso bucco with Risotto Milanese

Mon : Crunchy fish and slavering mice.

Of course, "interesting" doesn't always equate to "nice" or "moreish", but we'll wait and see!

To expand a little - well, Tuesday I've explained already.  Wednesday (last night) I made the Bacon pea and mint pasta and very delicious it was too.  The fresh mint in the sauce just lifts the pea flavour - and pea & bacon is a match made in heaven.  With the creamy sauce from the creme fraiche and a good dose of ground black pepper to add a little warmth in the background, it really is very good indeed.  I used conchiglie pasta this time as I had a bag in the cupboard needing using up - and I particularly enjoyed the way that two peas could snuggle up inside each conchiglie.  Add a piece of bacon on top and you were away.

The planned Nasi Goreng will have to wait until next week.  I can do so easily as most of the ingredients are storecupboard stock, plus the chicken and prawns are safely in the freezer, so can't go off.

Goat meat - looks innocent enough!

Tonight's Seco de Chivo (or "dry goat") is my first venture into cooking goat.  The lovely people at Farmer's Choice Free Range sent me the pack of goat meat to play with (along with the British Rose Veal for the Osso Bucco).  Now the obvious thing to make would have been a Curried Goat, but I just wanted to try something else - something not quite so obvious.  So, following exhaustive research - no seriously, I spent about 3 days looking at various recipes - I settled upon the Seco de Chivo.  I have opted to use the slow cooker for the recipe, which uses flavours like red onion, garlic, green peppers, cumin, chilli, tomatoes, oregano, celery, allspice and coriander - along with a light beer.  Now how intriguing does that lot sound?

I'm also exploring the idea of making a couscous to accompany it, using some absolutely out of this worldly huge and succulent dates that I found in the greengrocer just yesterday - and my new bottle of pomegranate molasses.

So, to say that I'm "stepping outside my comfort zone" would be putting it mildly, for today.

Mind you, I'm firmly back in the comfort zone with the Hampshire Hash for tomorrow.  Hampshire Hash is a minced beef and potato dish along the lines of a Cottage Pie, except instead of mashed potato on top, it uses small cubes of potato tossed in a mayonnaise/tomato ketchup mix.  Yes, I know, it sounds gross - but it is one of my real favourites.  I've made this in the past - quite a long time ago now - and haven't been too careful about the degree of grease that is involved.  As a result, I will admit that the dish has become quite atrociously greasy (but I kind of like that!).  This time, as I'm cooking it for the family and with half an eye to making it a lot healthier, it should turn out to be an awful lot lighter in calorific value! I need to ensure that I keep the flavour, whilst reducing the fat.  The minced beef can include some of the warming curry spices, so I'm hoping to wind up with a slightly different, but much more healthy version.

Hubby's in the kitchen on Saturday, when he's intending on pushing his fishcake recipe to another level.  I won't spoil his thunder by expanding on his plans - you'll just have to wait and see whether it works!

The slow cooker is back in work on Sunday, when I'll be making use of the British Rose Veal that Farmers Choice sent.  I've never made Osso Bucco, but over the years have gone from feeling revolted by the very idea (during my brief vegetarian phase), to liking the idea but being put off by the bones (some 20 years ago), until finally I'm keen to make the dish.  I was surprised at how easy it appears to be to make - but then aren't some of the best dishes the easiest?

I gather that the best accompaniment to Osso Bucco is to make a Risotto Milanese (or Saffron risotto).  Now don't be too outraged, but I'm threatening to make the risotto myself - *gasp*!  I know, I know, why make risotto when you've a Risotto Making Maestro in the house?  Well, I figure that it'll be good to know HOW to make a risotto, even if it's the only one I do ever make.

Photo c/o BBC Good Food website - that's what I'm aiming for!

So all these new and interesting meals brings us to Monday, when a dose of reality bites - and we have a day off, involving crunchy fish (haddock or cod portions in batter or breadcrumbs) and slavering mice (a.k.a. savoury rice).  I love savoury rice.  The flavour takes me back to when I owned the horses and a quick dinner of a Chicken Kiev with savoury rice was about all I was capable of, once I'd come back home at about 9 or 10pm!

As for "other news", well Son & heir has managed to win himself a School Scholarship for Bass Guitar lessons - well done him! - and his musical commitments are going to be taking up a lot of time over the next week or so.  Consequently, we won't have a lot of time left for extra makes and bakes - although you never know!

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British Rose Veal in a mushroom, tarragon & cider sauce

I'm going against my self-inflicted conventions in writing to tell you all about this veal dish so soon after making it - and I hope you realise that it's sending my inner English teacher into a flat spin.  However, I had to bump it up the list of "things requiring blogging about", as it was so good!

Over the course of the last few weeks, you may have noticed my interest in the whole process of the production of British Rose Veal.  Now just in case you've missed all the furore, you can catch up and get in the swim by having a peep at this post and this one, which will save me having to bore everyone else by going on about it all over again.

Beautifully lean and close-textured

As a result of all this, I was offered a pack of British Rose Veal to sample and devise some interesting recipes with, by the lovely people at Farmer's Choice Free Range from Fareham in Hampshire.  Not surprisingly, I said "yes please!" and was the very grateful recipient of some minced veal (probably destined for burgers, unless we have a brilliant idea in the meantime), some veal escalopes (currently the subject of a battle between Wiener Schnitzels and a stuffed, rolled veal dish) and two roasting joints - the larger of which is destined for a Sunday roast and the smaller of which was used in today's recipe.

Now, first of all, let me put my hands up and admit that I had not sampled veal before last Saturday when I made this dish.  Up until very recently, I was one of the millions who believed that veal was ethically undesirable due to its production techniques.  Having seen the light, I have been as keen as proverbial mustard to get my paws on some to try.

Having done so - tried some, that is - I can quite categorically say that I love it.  I have always liked beef and so the transition to liking veal really wasn't that difficult.  It does have a different flavour from beef (which I was glad about, to be honest, as it would be a bit of a disappointment to find that it was just a paler version) and we are still trying to put our fingers on the complete range of flavour.  However, the best I can do at the moment (other than say "well, it just tastes like veal") is to say that the flavour is somewhere between the strength of beef and the sweetness and mildness of a piece of lean pork, with a good bite to it.  Veal doesn't melt on your tongue, but then neither is it as robust as a slice of roast beef would be.  It has almost a crispness where the bite is concerned and a very irony finish to the flavour that is nothing like as powerful as liver, but has a liverish note to it.  Veal is also a very satisfying meat to consume, in that you know you've eaten something at the end of it!

The recipe that I devised for the veal, it would appear, has been done before (not surprisingly) and the additional flavours of the cider, chestnut mushrooms and tarragon lived very happily alongside it.  I can see it also being happy to accompany some chestnuts at Christmas and roasted root vegetables.

I was a little bit disappointed in the sauce/gravy as it lost a lot of thickness in the oven, so I have reflected the alteration to the cooking method in the recipe below to take account of that.  Hopefully this way will provide a sauce with some body, but I will own up and say that I haven't tried it as yet - so let me know if it lets you down!

So, having had this first go at British Rose Veal, I am even more firmly of the opinion that everyone should have the opportunity of accessing it.  If the farmers can support the production, I'm quite sure that having tasted it, many people would be following in my stead and be keen to buy either direct from the farm or from a supplier.  Don't go looking for veal in your local supermarket - have a look online and see if there's anyone near you who can supply you with some.  If more of us could do that, I'm sure the demand would increase and prices would reduce - which can only be good for everyone.

BRITISH ROSE VEAL STEAKS IN MUSHROOM, TARRAGON & CIDER SAUCE (feeds 4)

Ingredients :

1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium (or 1 large) onions, chopped finely
100g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1kg piece of roasting veal , cut across the grain into 8-10 steaks
500ml (or slightly less) medium cider
1 tsp dried tarragon or slightly more if using fresh, chopped
2 tbsp creme fraiche
finely ground black pepper, to taste
a Knorr vegetable Stock Pot or 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
2-3 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp water.

Method :

1.  Pre-heat your oven to 180degC/350degF/Gas4.  In a large flat-bottomed frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions.  Cook the onions until transparent and just beginning to brown.  Add the mushrooms and cook them gently until they are beginning to soften.  Remove the onions & mushrooms to a warmed dish and retain.

2.  You may need to add a little more oil while you increase the heat under the pan and seal off the veal steaks.  You aren't looking to cook them through - and they will cook incredibly quickly - so keep a close eye on them.  Some thirty seconds a side in a blisteringly hot pan should be enough to colour each side.  You will need to cook them in batches, so as not to overload the pan and reduce its temperature.  Place the steaks into a casserole dish to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.


3.  Return the onions and mushrooms to the pan and add a good two thirds of the bottle of cider.  Allow to bubble and give it a good stir, to release the flavours and de-glaze the pan.

4.  Add the tarragon and some finely ground black pepper.  Stir to combine.

5.  Reduce the heat and when the mixture has slowed down to a simmer, add the creme fraiche and the contents of the Knorr Stock Pot (or the vegetable bouillon powder).  Stir gently but well, to combine.

6.  Pour the mixture onto the veal steaks, cover and place into the oven for an hour and a quarter.

7.  When the time is up, remove the casserole dish from the oven and drain off the gravy into a saucepan.  Put on a medium heat to simmer and in a separate small bowl, mix the cornflour together with the tablespoonful of water.

8.  Stirring constantly, pour the cornflour mixture into the gravy which should immediately thicken.  If it doesn't thicken to your preference, simply add a little more cornflour.  Make sure to stir well as you add the cornflour, or you'll land up with a blob of half cooked cornflour and a thin sauce!

9.  Once your sauce is to the consistency you prefer, serve up the steaks and pour over the sauce.

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Rose Veal - the continuing story!

Pic c/o http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t0bv

Did you see Countryfile (on BBC1) this week?  If not, I'm sure it is available still on the Iplayer (here), so you can have a peek if you want.  I only mention it because they re-visited the issue of rose veal.  (Incidentally, is there a definitive version for the name "Rose" or "Rosé" veal?).


Since my earlier rant on the subject (see here), I have had cause to talk to many different people (thank you, one and all) who seem to be coming at the veal thing from lots of different angles and with lots of different viewpoints.  The amazing point about all this, is that everyone seems to have a differing view on where the veal situation is at in Great Britain.


It is staggering, to me, how many people who are supposedly working in the area of veal - in one way or another - have no idea about how the welfare standards for the production of veal in this country have improved.  So many of them still believe that veal is produced in the appalling crate system, which has been abolished in this country - and has been for years.  On the continent and if you're particularly looking for so-called "milk veal" or "white veal", then you can expect to find veal that has been produced in this barbaric way - although having said that, the welfare standards in some countries are fast following in GB's wake.

So if the people who are working in meat production/butchery/meat supply still believe that British Rose Veal is produced in this manner - is it any wonder that the public are still in the dark?  


This is why programmes such as Countryfile - that go out in a prime time evening slot and broadcast the good news about Rose Veal, are so important.


We have to get the message across to the general public that Rose Veal is as viable a product as any other meat product - and that the old (justified) reasons for outlawing it are over, provided you opt for British Rose Veal.


So let's take a look at what happens, currently - and as far as I understand it - to a male calf born to a dairy cow.


In some dairies, male calves are shot within days of having been born.  This is because of a) the understanding that it is uneconomical to produce these calves to an age where they can become meat producing, and b) the understanding (incorrect) that dairy breeds are incapable of producing enough musculature to make them viable for meat.

Now, personally, I would far rather these unfortunate calves are shot at an early age, if their only other alternative is to be shipped out to meat producers who might be some hours away - or even, God forbid, in another country.  The miserable conditions that calves often have to endure - and very often die on the way - in circumstances such as these would, I think, make anyone want to end their suffering before it happens.


However, this isn't their only alternative.


Now I do realise that not every diary farmer is able to do this - but I feel sure that those who, for reasons of space, or manpower, or whatever, can't keep their bull calves at home, with some co-operation between farms, should be able to send their calves a short distance to a farm that can keep them at home and produce them up to an appropriate age for the production of Rose Veal.  After all, it would seem that there are farms out there that do just that - take calves from dairies and produce Rose Veal, as their main source of income.

Ah, but - and you knew there was a "but" coming, didn't you - let's think about the calves' death.  Yes, I know, it's difficult - but if you're going to eat meat then how the animals die should be as much on your agenda as how they lived.


You see, this is where the supermarkets aren't helping matters.  It would seem - on the surface - that to be a veal producer for a supermarket would be a good thing.  Assured income for a steady supply.  However, look at the arrangements for converting the "on the hoof" veal to "in the polystyrene tray" veal and the rot begins to set in.  As a veal producer for a supermarket, you cannot take your calves to your local abbatoir (where you may very well know the workers, know their practices and be extremely happy that your animals will be respected and treated with care right through to an easy end) because said supermarket has a designated abbatoir which has been checked out by the supermarket as meeting all its requirements for animal welfare etc.  The problem is, that this designated abbatoir may very well be some six hours or more away from the farm.  Not good - not good at all.  Have you seen those diabolical multi-storey animal carriers?  I wouldn't want any veal calf of mine to have to travel to its end on one of those.  Call me a softie, but that's the way it is.  I just don't see why the veal can't travel once it has no pulse.


The obvious way around all this, it would seem to me, would be if more farms would be prepared to market and sell their own meat.  There would be multiple benefits to doing this, as from the animals' point of view it would cut down on the undesirable welfare issues I've set out above and from the consumer's point of view, it would cut out the middle men who consistently put their mark-up onto a piece of veal, until it reaches the astronomical prices being asked by the supermarkets - which would result in lower prices to the consumer.  From the farmer's point of view, it puts the money directly into their pocket with the added benefit of being able to provide the kind of life - and the kind of death - that the majority of farmers would choose for their animals.

c/o "Cows that Type" by Doreen Cronin

Now this all depends, of course, on how much it costs a farmer to take a new born dairy bull calf and produce it up to veal age.  On this subject, I've received no end of conflicting information - and again, it all depends who you speak to and what their angle is.  So, to get the true low-down on the subject, the lovely Louise Trowbridge of The Uncommon Pig has got in touch with me and offered to link me in on their project to raise two of their own dairy bull veal calves for a charity supper in November.  Louise is proposing to follow the costs of raising these two, from which I hope we'll be able to have a fairly (allowing for differences in cost across the country) definitive view of just how much it is likely to cost a farmer to raise a calf for veal.


I find this whole question of veal to be enormously interesting and filled with more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel.  As such, this story is by no means over and I think you can expect to find more blog posts appearing that deal with veal as Louise and I establish a method to work together  - but I also hope that you'll find your curiosity piqued by the insight into how the meat producing machine works in the U.K. - as written by a relative newbie to the whole process!

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