Vitello Tonnato

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a recipe for a dish I learned in 1975 when I had my first kitchen job at Montana Palace in NYC, and I have loved it ever since! Yes you have to cook it, but you do that in advance, when it's cool and serve it chilled. It actually improves by doing it ahead of time. For those of you who don't eat veal, you can use the same sauce on chicken or even swordfish.

Ingredients
1 (2 to 2 1/2-pound) veal roast from the leg or loin, boned and tied
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 (6-ounce) cans oil-packed solid white tuna, drained
8 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Lemon slices, for garnish

Procedure
In a large Dutch oven or casserole, combine the veal, chicken stock, wine, onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add water as needed to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover tightly. Simmer, turning once, until the meat is tender and an instant-read thermometer registers 145 to 150 degrees F, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.Transfer the veal to a platter and let cool. Strain and reserve the cooking broth. Wrap the veal tightly and refrigerate until well chilled (up to 24 hours). To make the sauce, combine the tuna, anchovies, capers, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a blender or food processor and blend to a very smooth texture, about 2 minutes. Add the mayonnaise and process to blend thoroughly. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved cooking broth. Add more, if desired, to taste or for a thinner consistency. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. (The sauce tastes best if made 1 day in advance and allowed to rest overnight). To serve, thinly slice the meat and arrange on a platter. Drizzle the sauce over each slice, season generously with the kosher salt and black pepper. Garnish by sprinkling with additional capers and chopped parsley. Arrange the lemon slices around the platter and serve. Perhaps you are going to need some wine, some bread, and a salad.

Frank Sinatra's mothers Meatballs and Spaghetti Recipe

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Frank Sinatra  is a complex man. I learned this when I recently read an essay written in the 1960s for Esquire magazine by writer Gay Talese. It was called "Frank Sinatra has a cold." Seems kind of like a stupid subject for an essay but it was a very amusing and observant piece about an icon of our culture. Super cool, tied to the Rat Pack, the mafia, the church, and lots of dames, a fascinating and intense man who never forgot his roots, partly because his mother Dolly, would not let him. So let's look at how Mrs. Sinatra made him happy.

Ingredients for meatballs
1 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground veal (or pork)
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs
4 ounces freshly grated Romano cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 ounces stale Italian bread, crumbled
4 ounces lukewarm water
olive oil

Procedure
Combine the minced beef and veal(or pork) in a large bowl. Add the crushed garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water. The mixture should be moist but firm enough to make meatballs. Shape into meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry 5-6 meatballs at a time until browned and cooked. Place on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.
Makes approx 18-20 meatballs, depending on size. Serve with spaghetti and Dolly Sinatra’s Marinara sauce
.

Ingredients marinara
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 can tomatoes (chopped or crushed with a crusher)

1 Tb tomato concentrated purée

1 tsp oregano
Handful chopped basil
Half a glass of red wine
Salt and pepper

Procedure
Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until tender. Add the garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, herbs and purée. Simmer for 30 minutes.Next add the wine. Cover the saucepan with a sheet of parchment paper – I find this trick makes the sauce perfect in texture — and simmer till thick and yummy.

Guest Inger Boudouris: Swedish Meatballs

Special Guest
This week we talked Swedish food with the amazing Inger Boudouris. Above is a photo of some of her favorite foods and best equiptment, She said Swedish meatballs are really a national favorite and Inger said the ones at Ikea are actually right on. Go figure. Here is a basic recipe so you can make them at home.

Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 lb lean ground beef
1/3 lb ground lean pork
1/3 ground veal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Butter to saute meatballs

Procedure
Saute onions in first tablespoon of oil until translucent. Set aside and let cool. Combine breadcrumbs and milk, let soak for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine onions, breadcrumbs, milk egg, meat and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Form the meat mixture into tablespoon-sized balls. Over medium heat, fry meatballs in butter until brown on all sides. Serve with boiled potatoes and Lingonberry sauce