Shelly's Recipe

VEAL RAGOUT

Category: Beef

1/4 cup flour
3/4 tbsp each salt and pepper (approx.)
1 lb cubed veal
3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup each finely chopped onion, carrot and celery
2 cups stemmed and quartered mushrooms
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
2 cups red wine
5 bay leaves
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 cups cooked egg noodles
1 baguette, torn into chunks

Preheat oven to 325. Combine flour with salt and pepper in a zip-top bag. Add veal and shake until well coated; discard excess flour mixture. Heat half the oil in an oven-proof Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In batches, brown veal on all sides (adding additional oil as needed). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Add 1 tbsp butter, onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms to the Dutch oven; cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomato paste, rosemary and garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Pour in chicken broth, wine and bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits; bring to a boil. Return veal with any accumulated juices; cover Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid or foil. Place in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until veal is very tender and breaks apart easily with a fork. Stir in remaining butter and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper; discard bay leaves. Serve veal ragout over cooked noodles with bread on the side.

Makes 6 servings.