November 2005 Recipe

Veal Medallions With Mushrooms And Marsala

Whether you use wild or button mushrooms, the combination of veal and mushrooms in a Marsala cream sauce is magical.

Serves 4

• 2 pounds/900 g boneless veal loin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, more if needed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon flour 
• ¾ cup/175 ml/6 fl oz Marsala
• ¾ cup/175 ml/6 fl oz veal or chicken stock
• ½ cup/125 ml/4 fl oz crème fraîche or heavy cream

For the mushrooms

• ½ pound/225 g wild mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon/15 g/½ oz butter
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Tie the meat as for a whole roast, spacing 8 strings at even intervals. Cut between the strings to form 8 even medallions.

1. For the mushrooms: Trim the stems and brush mushrooms to remove any earth or wipe them with a damp cloth. Rinse them with cold water only if they are gritty as soaking softens them. Cut them in large chunks. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and fry the garlic and shallots just until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat until tender and any moisture has evaporated, up to 10 minutes depending on the type. Set aside 4 attractive pieces for garnish. Stir parsley into the remaining mushrooms, taste for seasoning and set them aside.
2. To cook the veal:  Sprinkle the medallions with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add the veal and sauté over high heat until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side.  Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the medallions are cooked to your liking. Allow 1 to 2 minutes for veal that is pink in the center, or 2 to 3 minutes for well done.  Remove them and keep warm.
3. For the sauce: Over moderate heat, add the remaining oil to the pan and stir in the flour.  Cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the Marsala, stirring to dissolve the pan juices, and boil until reduced by half. Stir in the stock and any juices from the medallions, and simmer until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.  Finally whisk in the crème fraîche, bring to a boil, and simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce again coats a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Reheat the mushrooms on top of stove. Arrange the veal on 4 warm plates, discarding the strings and overlapping the medallions with the mushrooms alongside. Spoon the sauce over the medallions and top each with a reserved mushroom.

GETTING AHEAD: The mushrooms can certainly be cooked several hours ahead, but personally I like to sauté the veal and make the sauce just before serving.