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Veal
Tenderloins in Riesling Sauce
4-6 servings
A marvelous family recipe from Beatrix Carolyn Schmitt
of Hermannshof, the winery of Hermann Franz Schmitt
in Nierstein on the Rhine. It couldn't be easier to
prepare and is perfect for a small, elegant dinner,
but you should have all ingredients measured and at
the table ready before you begin.
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You need nothing more to
accompany than boiled rice (for sopping up every last
drop of sauce), a crisp green salad, and a nicely chilled
Riesling. Frau Schmitt makes her sauce with veal stock,
but because few Americans have veal stock on hand, we've
substituted--with excellent results--a half-and-half
mix of beef and chicken broth.
Ingredients
- 2 center-cut veal tenderloins,
each measuring about 6 inches long and 2 1/2 to
3 inches in diameter (1 3/4 pounds in all)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
or margarine
- 1/4 pound small mushrooms,
trimmed and wiped clean
- 3/4 cup canned pearl or
baby onions, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup rich beef broth
(preferably homemade)
- 1/2 cup rich chicken broth
(preferably homemade)
- 1 tablespoon tarragon or
Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
lemon juice
- 1 cup Riesling or other
dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose
flour blended with 3 tablespoons cold water (flour
paste)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped
fresh tarragon, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried leaf tarragon,
crumbled
- 3 tablespoons Cognac
Sprinkle the veal evenly with half the salt
and pepper and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of
the butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over high
heat. Let it foam up and subside, then add the veal
and brown evenly on all sides; this will take about
5 minutes. Transfer the veal to a heated large plate,
cover with foil, and keep warm.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to moderate,
add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and, when
it melts, stir in the mushrooms and onions and
saute 1 minute, stirring often. Add the cream,
beef and chicken broths, and mustard and boil,
uncovered, stirring often, about 10 minutes, until
reduced by half. Blend in the lemon juice, wine,
and flour paste and cook, stirring constantly,
for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture bubbles
up and thickens slightly.
Return the veal to the skillet together with
any accumulated juices. Adjust the heat so the
sauce bubbles very gently and cook, uncovered,
for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the veal every 5
minutes, until an instant-register thermometer
inserted in the center of a tenderloin registers
140 to 145 degrees F (the veal will be pink but
not rare).
Transfer the veal to a cutting board and let
rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, raise the heat under
the sauce to moderate, add the tarragon, Cognac,
and remaining salt and pepper and boil, uncovered,
for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste
for salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Slice
the tenderloins 1/2 inch thick and arrange in
rows on a heated platter, overlapping the slices.
Spoon some of the sauce over the veal and pass
the rest in a gravy boat.
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