Roasted Rack of Veal with Root Vegetables

Frasca Food and Wine restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, is inspired by the Friuli region of Italy; co-owner and wine director Bobby Stuckey serves a number of edgy Friulian wines. This veal dish is particularly good with slightly tannic "orange" wines like Gravner's Ribolla Gialla. More Veal Recipes

Roasted Rack of Veal with Root Vegetables. Photo © Con Poulos
Photo: © Con Poulos
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 45 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound pearl onions

  • 1 1/4 pounds fingerling potatoes

  • 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

  • 2 large carrots, cut into small pieces

  • 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • One 4-bone rack of veal, left untrimmed (about 5 pounds)

  • 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme

  • 2 cups chicken stock

  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the pearl onions for 30 seconds. Drain the onions. Trim the tops and bottoms and let the loose skins slide off.

  2. In a large roasting pan, toss the onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and garlic cloves with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread the vegetables in an even layer.

  3. Season the veal with salt and pepper and rub the rosemary and thyme into the layer of fat. Nestle the veal in the vegetables, fat side up. Roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 140°.

  4. Transfer the veal to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Spoon the vegetables into a bowl; keep warm. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan and reserve. Set the pan over moderately high heat, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan juices from the heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the vinegar.

  5. Carve the veal into 4 chops and transfer to plates. Spoon a little of the reserved fat over the meat and serve with the vegetables, passing the sauce at the table.

Suggested Pairing

Edgy Wine Complex, slightly tannic Ribolla Gialla.

Accessible Wine Juicy cru Beaujolais.

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