Veal Roast with Carrots

Tendrons de Veau aux Carottes is one of my husband's favorite entrees. It is a very traditional French recipe along the likes of Boeuf Bourguignon or Pôtée Lorraine.  And like many recipes mu husband likes, they remind him of his summers spent in France with his grand-parents when is grand-mother (and mother) would make traditional dishes for their family.
We would make it often in the US if only we could find the same cut of meat (at an affordable price.) That's another thing we have to adapt to when we travel : the way meat is cut! You would assume that meat would be cut the same way in France, Argentina, Chile, or the US! Et bien non! My husband being a vet by training, I have seen him engage with chefs or butchers around the world trying to find out which cuts of meat they were selling... or if we could find the cut we needed to make this or that particular dish! Sometimes with disappointment (like when we can not find tendrons in the US) or sometimes with great success (when we ate amazingly good and tender large huge pieces of meat in Argentina or Chile.)

Because I could not find Tendrons in Philadelphia the other day, I decided to purchase a veal roast instead and cooked it the way I would have cooked the traditional Tendrons de Veau aux Carottes. Evidemment, it did not taste the same! Evidemment, my husband was clear about reminding me that it was not the same (he has a few Petites Madeleines de Proust!!!) but it was very good! Our children asked for another serving, which is always a good sign, especially when the only side dish are carrots!

Now that we are in France, we'll be able to make Tendrons de Veau... but to be sure not to have any negative comments, I'll wait for my mother-in-law to make it for us him!

In the meantime, if you have a nice butcher, you can go and ask him/her whether he/she carries Tendrons (whatever the translation is in English : it's # 13 on the chart). If your butcher does not carry it but has a nice veal roast on sale, make this recipe! You won't be disappointed! I promise! Bon Appétit!

Ingredients:
- A veal roast, preferably with some fat (# 9,10,11 would be perfect!).
- 1 large onion, minced
- Carrots, pealed and cut
- 1 bouquet garni or thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
-  250 ml (8.45 Fl Oz) dry cooking wine (or veal stock : see comments)
- Olive oil, salt, black pepper

• In a Dutch oven (or thick-bottom pot), over medium heat, brown the meat in olive oil : 3-5 mns per side, without forgetting the edges.
• Take the meat out and saute the onion in the fat/olive oil.
• Add the white wine and déglacer (scratching all the pieces of meat/fat from the bottom but leaving them in the pot).
• Add the bouquet garni/herbs
• Put the meat back in the Dutch oven and place the carrots around.
• Cook for 45 mn (more if the meat needs it)

My Personal Comments

• I always purchase a larger roast than I need because it makes perfect leftovers with carrots or just rice
• Cook more carrots than you think you need : they tend to melt in the pot and you end up never having enough!
• Some people use a Fond de Veau (some veal stock) or beef bouillon but I try to stay away from them because of sodium content and other ingredients I'd rather not eat. If you make your own veal stock, replace half the volume of wine with it.

http://sites.google.com/site/wayfyktdrecipes/home/veal-roast-with-carrots