Leftovers will rule the day in the food department around here today. Friends were here for yesterday’s Patriot’s playoff game, and calzones and egg rolls are wrapped and tucked in the refrigerator, just waiting to be re-heated. We also have leftover veal stew from Friday night’s dinner.

It’s the veal stew that I’d like to document so that I remember to make it again. I had never made veal stew before. Beef and lamb, certainly, but never veal. But fresh veal stew meat caught my eye at the market, so I decided to go for it.

I assumed that braising was the appropriate direction and scanned a number of recipes from various sources. Some called for a tomato base; others white wine and chicken stock, but one that called for a sweet wine and rosemary peaked my interest, so I decided to improvise.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds veal stew meat ( or beef or lamb)
large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS fresh rosemary, minced
olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Marsala wine
enough chicken stock to almost cover meat
a small butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
about a cup of frozen pearl onions
about a cup of frozen peas

Method:

1. Put a little olive oil is a heavy, oven-proof pot.
2. Saute the sliced onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add the chunks of veal. Season with salt and pepper, and add the minced rosemary. Saute until the meat is seared on all sides, and just about cooked.
4. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine. Let cook for a couple of minutes to reduce the wine a bit. Add the broth to come close to covering the veal. Bring to a boil.
5. Cover and put in a 325 oven for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Remove the pot from the oven and add the chunks of butternut squash. Return to the oven for another 1/2 hour.
7. Remove from the oven and add the pearl onions and peas. Stir and cover the pot. The residual heat should be enough to cook the frozen vegetables. Adjust seasoning and gently reheat when you’re ready to eat.

The veal was tender, and the touch of sweetness from the Marsala and the butternut squash were a welcome addition. The rosemary was a nice addition as well. Something tells me that this would work beautifully with lamb.