Stewed Fillet of Veal is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a fillet of veal that's stuffed with veal forcemeat, rolled and stewed in weak meat stock where the pan juices are thickened, flavoured and cooked with mushrooms. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Stewed Fillet of Veal.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
STEWED FILLET OF VEAL.
873. INGREDIENTS.—A small fillet of veal, forcemeat No. 417, thickening of butter and flour, a few mushrooms, white pepper to taste, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1/2 glass of sherry.
Mode.—If the whole of the leg is purchased, take off the knuckle to stew, and also the square end, which will serve for cutlets or pies. Remove the bone, and fill the space with a forcemeat No. 417. Roll and skewer it up firmly; place a few skewers at the bottom of a stewpan to prevent the meat from sticking, and cover the veal with a little weak stock. Let it simmer very gently until tender, as the more slowly veal is stewed, the better. Strain and thicken the sauce, flavour it with lemon-juice, mace, sherry, and white pepper; give one boil, and pour it over the meat. The skewers should be removed, and replaced by a silver one, and the dish garnished with slices of cut lemon.
Time.—A. fillet of veal weighing 6 lbs., 3 hours' very gentle stewing.
Average cost, 9d. per lb.
Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
Seasonable from March to October.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 small fillet of veal (the top end of the leg)
150g (about) veal forcemeat
weak meat stock
2 tbsp butter mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp plain flour, as a thickening
12 button mushrooms
freshly-ground white pepper, to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground mace
70ml dry sherry
Method:
Butterfly the veal and remove the bone. Spread the veal forcemeat over the meat then roll up and tie securely with string. Place in a pan and pour over enough weak stock to cover the meat.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and cook very gently for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender. At this point, remove the veal and set aside to keep warm.
Strain the stock from the pan and measure out about 750ml. Place this in a clean pan and bring to a simmer. Gradually work in the butter and flour thickening, a small piece at a time. Add the mushrooms and cook until thickened then work in the white pepper, lemon juice, mace and sherry. Bring to a boil then take off the heat.
Arrange the meat on a serving dish and pour over the sauce. Garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately.
