Veal and Swiss cheese stew

Veal and Cheese Stew

The Swiss enjoy a cuisine that includes a variety of milk, butter, cheese, and meats—veal being a favourite preparation. Often cooked in a simple sauce prepared with stock or broth and finished with milk and cheese, this is served up as a stew or as an accompaniment to a veal escalope. 

I still recall the velvety sauce I had years ago in the alps near Zurich in a small mountain town. The food is simple; the ingredients always pristine, which makes the flavours pleasing to the palate. 

Similar to the traditional Zurcher Geschnetzeltes, I was inspired to try this out after watching a TV show about the Love of Cheese in Toronto. I share my own  creation of how I remember it.

Serves 6

650 g/ 1.5 lb veal, cubed or sliced + a veal bone

oil

Salt to taste

Water

12 pickled onions

3 tbsp butter + 3 tbsp flour combined to form crumbs (or cornstarch mixed with a little water)

100 g/3 oz whole milk 

100 g/3 oz hard cheese, such as gruyere, or your favourite nutty, sweet and flavourful cheese.

optional

Vegetables of choice: mushrooms, onions, carrots, parsnips.

A splash of wine

Freshly ground black pepper

A sprinkle of mustard

In a pan, heat a tbsp of oil, caramelise the veal bone, turn it all over. It will take about 10 minutes. Add a splash of water, then add the rest of the meat. Season with salt. Add the water. Bring it to a boil, cover, lower the heat, and cook until tender. About 45 minutes to an hour. Adding the pickled onions for 10 minutes at the end will infuse the flavour but keeping firm.

Allow this to cool slightly. 

Remove the meat and onion. Return the pot with the prepared broth/stock to the burner and add the crumbs of butter, flour and milk. Bring it to a boil for 3 minutes, whisking it in to ensure it all amalgamates. Melt the cheese into the sauce to make it a wonderful smooth creamy consistency that can coat the back of a spoon. Allow it to boil until the consistency reaches your desired thickness.

Return the meat, onion, and any other vegetables to the pot.

Bring to a boil before serving with garlic bread.

Tips 

Add any other vegetable to the pot of meat for the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking time.

Fresh pasta like tagiatelle or paparadelle is an option. 

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.