JANUARY 2020 31
Oven-Braised Veal Stew with
Black Pepper and Cherries
PHOTO P. 30
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR; SERVES 4This rich, wintry stew with a sweet-tart bite
from sour cherries is a cinch to get in the
oven and offers long-cooked flavor. Pork
shoulder makes an excellent substitute
for veal; omit the demi-glace if using pork.
Serve bowls of the stew with crusty bread
or buttered noodles.2 lb. boneless veal stew meat or pork
shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces(^3) / 4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. canola oil
(^3) / 4 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp. beef or veal demi-glace
2 cups fresh or undrained thawed
frozen pitted sour cherries
21 /^2 Tbsp. honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod
1 dried bay leaf
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place veal pieces
in a bowl; sprinkle all over with pepper and
1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with flour, and
toss to coat. Melt butter with oil in a 5- to
6-quart Dutch oven over high. Working in
2 batches, add veal; cook, stirring occa-
sionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 7
minutes per batch. Transfer veal to a bowl
using a slotted spoon; set aside. Pour off
drippings from Dutch oven. - Stir together^3 / 4 cup boiling water and
demi-glace until demi-glace is dissolved.
Add demi-glace mixture, cherries, honey,
cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaf to
Dutch oven; bring to a boil over high,
scraping bottom of pan to loosen
browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-
low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Uncover; nestle veal in cherry mixture. - Cover and roast in preheated oven until
veal is very tender, about 1 hour and 30
minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon,
cardamom, and bay leaf. Stir in remaining
1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with parsley, and
serve immediately. —ADAPTED FROM
BEYOND THE NORTH WIND
MAKE AHEAD Stew can be made up to 3
days ahead; let cool, then cover and
refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium.
WINE Cherry-scented Georgian red: 2017
Teliani Valley Saperavi
Wettainen’s gorgeous photographs, not just of food but also of
the crystalline loveliness of the places where these recipes origi-
nated and of the people who shared them with the author. These
transporting images lend this book much of its appeal; they’re
also a much more comfortable way to visit the Kola Peninsula
(“next stop, North Pole”) than, you know, actually going there.
The flavors of traditional Russia aren’t mild, Goldstein repeat-
edly tells us. This isn’t about cabbage and potatoes blandly tak-
ing us through the winter. She emphasizes the creative ways
that Russian cooks preserve foods in order to maximize their
nutritional value. Even without months of fermenting time, you
can still get some of the piquancy Goldstein assures us is most
important to the Russian palate; although it’s not exactly tra-
ditional, her recipe for 20-minute pickles uses a burst of garlic
and dill and a shot of vodka to quickly turn chilled cucumbers
crunchy and tart. And if I had a ready source of raw dairy, I’d
be very tempted to make varenets, whose only ingredients are
milk, a few spoonfuls of yogurt to culture it, lots of time, and
loving reapplication of the skin that forms atop the milk as it
slowly reduces in the oven.
Even my picky Russian in-laws
might appreciate a dish that capi-
talizes on ingredients indigenous
to both Russia, where they once
lived, and Cape Cod, Massachu-
setts, where they now reside. Ukha
Pomorskaya, a fish soup, seemed
to fit the bill perfectly, and it was
simple to prepare: A stock rendered
from gently simmered salmon head,
tail, and spine made a beautiful
base for pieces of barely-cooked
halibut and cod. I imagine eating
it with them alongside pickled
mushrooms. My father-in-law
forages boletes in the woods near
Provincetown and preserves them
every year with cloves and garlic,
then serves them with fresh onion
alongside chilled vodka. I think
Goldstein would approve.Tarragon-Mint Vodka
ACTIVE 5 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR 25 MIN, PLUS
24 HR INFUSING; MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPSA two-step infusion, first of the herbs in
honey and lemon juice and then the tem-
pered seasonings in vodka, creates a mel-
low, bittersweet anise-flavored liquor akin
to Pernod, perfect for sipping or mixing
with club soda.1 (750-ml.) bottle high-quality vodka
(such as Russian Standard)
1 large bunch fresh tarragon (about 3
loosely packed cups)
15 large fresh mint leaves1 1 / 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
11 / 2 tsp. honeyPour vodka into a wide-mouth 1-quart jar,
reserving original bottle. Strip tarragon
leaves from coarse stems, discarding
stems. Chop tarragon leaves and mint
leaves; place leaves in a small bowl, and
stir in lemon juice and honey. Let mixture
stand until leaves soften and wilt, about
20 minutes; add to vodka in jar. Seal jar;
let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
Strain; discard solids. Pour strained
vodka into reserved bottle using a funnel.
Chill before serving. Store in freezer up to
2 months. —ADAPTED FROM BEYOND THE
COVER COURTESY PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE NORTH WIND BY DARRA GOLDSTEIN