A few days ago, we celebrated the arrival of cold weather and the first snowfalls with some friends and this old recipe — full of character yet wonderfully comforting.
It practically cooks itself, leaving you plenty of time to let your imagination run wild for the dessert.
The quantities serve six hearty appetites (Baby, it’s cold outside).
Slow-braised veal shank with shallots and Château Chalon, glazed carrots, Jerusalem artichoke purée, and sautéed porcini... Happiness Therapy
1) For 2 large rear veal shanks on the bone, 800 g of shallots (or Roscoff onions), 3.5 dl of Château Chalon (or yellow wine if you can’t find/afford it), 3–4 tablespoons of coarse salt, a few peppercorns, one or two bay leaves, and about twenty cloves.
Rinse the shanks and roll them in the coarse salt, then let them rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
Peel the shallots. Rinse and pat the shanks dry, then place them in a very large Dutch oven (une cocotte en fonte). Sprinkle with pepper and cloves, surround with the shallots, pour in the wine, cover, and place in a cold oven. Cook for 3 hours at 140°C (285°F).
Two-thirds of the way through, remove the lid and check that the juices haven’t reduced too much,
and continue checking every 20 minutes or so.
By the end of the cooking time, the meat and shallots will be confit-tender and beautifully browned. Adjust the seasoning (salt) before serving.
2) Clean and peel 1 kg of carrots and cut them however you like. Cook them gently in butter with a splash of water, tightly covered
(with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit the pan). Make sure there is always a little liquid in the bottom. Serve them glossy and tender.
3) Prepare the Jerusalem artichoke purée: scrub 9 Jerusalem artichokes thoroughly with a brush, cut them into pieces, sauté them in olive oil, then add a generous spoonful of fragrant honey and a small spoonful of curry powder. Add about 20 cl of water.
Once cooked, blend them with a tablespoon of crème fraîche.
4) Rehydrate 100 g of dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for 45 minutes.
Sauté them with a chopped clove of garlic.
Ideally served with a Burgundy wine — a bit robust, but mellowed beautifully with age.
