Veal

Veal is prized largely for its tender, subtle-tasting cutlets, or scaloppines, its rib chops, its loin, and for the paillards off its legs. But veal is so much more.

The shank, braised—as for osso buco—is a wonderment. Its cheeks and shoulders are fabulous for stewing or for blanquette. Its tongue, thymus glands, kidneys, tripe, brains, and liver are incomparable and irreplaceable. Compare a sautéed slab of beef liver with a calf’s and you’ll see immediately what I mean. Even a few lengths of veal leg bone, roasted plain, can be a magnificent meal. Dig out all that tasty, buttery cooked marrow, smear it on a piece of toasted baguette, and sprinkle with a little sea salt, and you have one of life’s great treats. Almost nothing the human animal can cook or create beats that for pure pleasure. The bones are the foundation of so many classic stocks and sauces. The humble, ugly-looking feet impart magical flavor and natural gelatin to stocks, stews, and tripe preparations. The face—yes, the face—rolled, tied, and slowly simmered in court bouillon, can be a gourmet delight all too unfamiliar to most. And the beautiful white veal fat found around the kidneys, when rendered and used for frying, will make the best, most luxurious French fries you’ve ever imagined.