Loving What Is Rare....

I took a quick trip to Seattle last week. One of the best things about Seattle is that I can buy items that are just NEVER available where I live in north Idaho. Veal is one. Now the local supermarkets in Seattle (QFC) always have some sort of veal. And of course, Pike's Place Market always has big, luscious cuts of veal. But where I live, where people actually raise beef, nobody slaughters a calf! That is a waste to people around here. So, I have to buy my veal in Seattle....

I used to buy my veal just across the border in British Columbia, but now, because of mad cow disease, I cannot bring any beef, or veal, across the border. Pork is okay. Wild boar is okay. Even bird is now okay, but no beef. No venison or buffalo or lamb either. It's a hoof thing...

So, I did bring home a lovely "blade steak," which seems to be just a thin "blade roast." It's big enough for my husband and myself, however. I browned and then de-glazed it with Madiera, , browned up some mirepoix, added a bit of flour, some homemade veal stock, threw the veal back in and braised for an hour or so. Oh, and I added some dried (I dried them) morel mushrooms with the water from dehydrating them, some salt, pepper, thyme, and, I think, a bay leaf (from the bay tree that grows indoors in my sunroom, now almost five feet tall). I served it with mashed potatoes and parsnips and fresh chives (from my garden). For extra vegetable, I chunked up some of my friend, Marsha's, just dug carrots. And then I used my barely sprouting parsley as a garnish for the veal. It was soooo good.





First I put up a small plate to photo, and then, having forgotten the fresh parsley (my husband just wanted to eat....forget the photos), I ignored the guy almost passing out from lack of food and piled him up a big plate, with parsley, and then, made him wait for one more photo. I think it was all worth it....

Accompanied by a Trader Joe special red wine, we began the meal with a "Bon Appetit!" and ended with "Ich bin sat" (I am satiated). Life is good.