Braised veal

Start with boneless veal, cut it into chunks, and then braise it. Unlike other meats, veal—thanks to its youth—braises quickly and remains tender. And because it has a high percentage of collagen, or connective tissue, it creates a silky broth. This is a real advantage, because you get all the assets of a long-braised meat dish in less than half the normal time.

A simple veal stew can be seasoned with almost anything: we begin with a little tomato paste and tarragon, continue with a Swiss-style combination of mushrooms and crème fraîche, then move to a Vietnamese-style stew with tamarind, and finally become really creative, using vanilla with Thai spices and, lastly, an asparagus puree. Most take under an hour, none much longer.