Veal has seen something of a comeback, with new ethical farming standards in place, although it has always been popular in Polish cooking. For this recipe you can use bone-in veal chops, veal medallions, veal fillet or veal loin. Always look for high-welfare, ethically reared meat. This goes particularly well with any of the salads, or surówki, in Chapter 2. If you can’t find fresh cherries, veal also goes really well with the mushroom sauce (served with the meatballs) on see here and perhaps a little steamed buckwheat.
Ingredients
- 4 veal chops, steaks or fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh or dried marjoramor thyme
- ½ lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
For the Cherry Vodka Sauce
- 9 oz (250 g) fresh cherries, stoned
- 2½ tbsp (35 ml) (1 shot) vodka (use cherry vodka if you have some)
- 3 tbsp chicken stock
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, mixed with a little water
How to Make It
- Place the veal chops in a flat dish or tray. Mix the olive oil, marjoram or thyme, lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl and spread over the veal. Cover the dish with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to cook, take the veal chops out of the fridge, leaving them in the marinade for 10 minutes to bring them to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the cherries, vodka, stock, honey and garlic into a small saucepan, and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. Taste and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir in the cornflour mixed with water and bring to the boil, until the sauce thickens slightly. Set to one side.
- Heat a large frying pan or a griddle pan. Once hot, add the veal chops and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove the chops from the pan and place them on a plate. Cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes, pouring any resulting juices into the cherry sauce. Stir the sauce and reheat it gently if necessary. Serve the veal chops on a plate and serve with the cherry vodka sauce.
