Noix de Veau Froide à la Caucasienne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch (25 cm) heavy ovenproof skillet or small roasting pan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve and immersion blender
• •2-cup (500 ml) smooth dome mould or bowl
• •8-inch (20 cm) shallow square dish for the jelly
• •Long slicing knife and small paring knife
• •12-inch (30 cm) round serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape and roast veal

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Dry the veal thoroughly and tie it into an even cylinder if the butcher hasn't done so. Season with 2 teaspoons of the salt and ¾ teaspoon of the pepper. Melt the browning butter in a heavy ovenproof pan over medium-high heat, then brown the veal on every side, 6 to 8 minutes altogether. Roast until the centre reaches 145°F (63°C), about 30 to 40 minutes. Rest on a rack for 20 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until completely cold, at least 4 hours; cover it once cold. The thermometer matters more than the clock because this lean cut has little patience with excess heat.

   Ask the butcher for a compact, evenly thick piece. Uniform shape gives uniform doneness and the long, clean slices this cold composition requires.
2. 2

   Set the clear jelly

   Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of the cold veal stock into a bowl and sprinkle 10 g of the gelatin evenly over it. Leave it for 5 minutes to swell. Heat another 1¾ cups (415 ml) of stock just to a bare simmer, then remove it from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Pass the liquid through a damp fine cloth or coffee filter into a shallow 8-inch (20 cm) square dish, skim away any bubbles, and chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Keep 2 g gelatin in reserve. If the jelly remains too soft to cut, warm it only until liquid, bloom the reserved gelatin in 2 teaspoons of cold stock or water, stir it in, strain again, and reset it. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Mould the tomato purée

   Put the tomatoes and their juices in a small saucepan, crush them, and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until thick and free of watery liquid. Blend, then press through a fine sieve. Measure 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g) of smooth purée; reduce it further if you have more, or loosen it with a little of the held-back veal stock if you have less. Bloom 9 g gelatin in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold stock. Heat ½ cup (120 ml) stock, remove it from the heat, and dissolve the gelatin in it. Stir this thoroughly into the warm tomato purée with ⅛ teaspoon salt. Pour into a smooth 2-cup (500 ml) dome mould or bowl and chill for 4 to 6 hours, preferably overnight. Before unmoulding, press the edge lightly; it should spring back and pull cleanly from the bowl. If it remains loose, remelt it gently and use the reserved gelatin as directed for the clear jelly, then reset it.

4. 4

   Mix the anchovy butter

   Beat the room-temperature butter until pliable but not oily. Fold in the finely diced anchovies, chives, and the remaining pepper. Taste before adding the remaining salt because the anchovies may have supplied enough. Keep the dice distinct rather than crushing them into a paste; those small salty points belong to the original composition. If the butter turns shiny or begins to separate, chill it for 10 minutes and beat it again until smooth.

5. 5

   Cut the veal

   Remove the strings from the thoroughly chilled veal and square its sides just enough to give clean slices. With a long, sharp knife, cut across the grain into slices exactly ⅙ inch (4 mm) thick, then trim them into pieces 2 inches (5 cm) long and ½ inch (1.25 cm) wide. Aim for 60 to 72 neat pieces, keeping the trimmings for a salad or hash. If the first slice tears, bends, or sheds juice, stop and return the roast to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Warm veal cannot be bullied into clean geometry.

6. 6

   Couple and press

   Spread a thin, even film of anchovy-chive butter over one face of every veal slice. Couple the buttered faces together to make small sandwiches, then round off their four angles with a sharp paring knife. Lay them between two sheets of parchment, cover with a light board or second tray, and set one small can on top. Chill under this slight pressure for 15 to 20 minutes. The weight should join the layers, not flatten them. If butter squeezes from the edges, remove the weight, chill the sandwiches until firm, and scrape the edges clean before continuing.

7. 7

   Unmould and arrange

   Chill a 12-inch (30 cm) round platter for 20 minutes. Cut the clear veal jelly into ⅜-inch (1 cm) cubes and return them to the refrigerator. Dip the outside of the tomato mould into warm water for 3 seconds, dry it, place the cold platter over it, and invert. If the dome clings, repeat for 2 seconds at a time; prolonged warmth will soften its surface. Set the tomato dome in the centre, arrange the veal sandwiches closely around it in concentric rings with their butter seams visible, and border the platter generously with the clear jelly cubes.

8. 8

   Temper and serve

   Cover the finished platter without touching its surface and keep it refrigerated. Bring it out 10 minutes before serving, just long enough for the anchovy butter to yield softly while the tomato dome and jelly remain firm. For outdoor dining, nest the platter over ice and return it to the cold within 2 hours, or within 1 hour in very hot weather. Serve with a small fork and good bread. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy veal noix or top round, not shoulder or breast. Its compact, fine grain produces the precise cold slices the dish demands; ask the butcher to tie it into an even cylinder.
• •Use a pale, clean veal stock, not dark demi-glace. The jelly should catch the light rather than sit like brown rubber. A good prepared veal stock is the honest home equivalent to the stockpot that once stayed on the range.
• •Use whole anchovy fillets and cut them into very fine dice. Anchovy paste disappears into the butter and makes its salt difficult to judge, while the original asks for distinct little pieces.
• •Wipe the slicing knife after every few cuts and keep the uncut veal cold. Cooking well is not cooking fancy, but this particular dish earns its ruler and its sharpest knife.
• •A brisk dry white wine, such as Chablis or a dry sparkling wine, suits the cold veal, tomato, and anchovy. Avoid anything heavily oaked, which makes the jelly taste blunt.

Advance Preparation

• •Roast and chill the veal up to 2 days ahead. Keep it whole and tightly covered once cold so the cut surfaces remain moist.
• •Both jellies should be made the day before serving. Once set, cover their containers and keep them refrigerated; do not freeze them, because freezing damages their clean texture.
• •The anchovy-chive butter can be mixed a day ahead. Let it soften only until spreadable before assembling the sandwiches.
• •The complete platter can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead, covered without touching the surface, and refrigerated. Keep any leftovers cold and use them within 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 380g)