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Fresh Vegetable Stew With Veal And Grapes
(Ghiveciu National)
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| What You Need: |
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¾ pound fresh pork fat, cut into small dice, or 8 tablespoons melted butter combined with 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds boneless breast of veal, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup flour
3 medium-sized onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped garlic
4 cups freshly made beef stock, or substitute 2 cups condensed canned beef stock combined with 2 cups cold water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 small eggplant (about ¾ to 1 pound), peeled
6 medium-sized boiling potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled
½ small white cabbage (about ½ pound), trimmed and cored
1 pound acorn squash, peeled and seeded
3 medium-sized carrots (about ½ pound), peeled
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, deribbed and seeded
1 medium-sized celery root (celeriac), about ½ pound, peeled
1 small cauliflower (about ¾ to 1 pound), trimmed and washed
¼ pound green string beans, trimmed, and cut in half lengthwise
1 cup dry red wine
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
½ teaspoon crumbled dried marjoram
½ teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
4 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, peeled, cut into quarters and seeded (see bigos)
¼ pound seedless green grapes, washed
¼ cup fresh green peas, shelled
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, fry the pork fatyou are using it) over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until it is crisp,delicately browned, and has rendered all its fat.
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2. Remove the crisp bitswith a slotted spoon and discard them. Pour the rendered fat into a measuring cup; there should be about ¾ cup. Pour 4 tablespoons of the fat back into the skillet and set aside off the heat.
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3. Pat the chunks of veal completely dry. Season them on all sides with 1teaspoon of the salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Dip them in theflour and, when they are evenly coated, shake vigorously to recove the excess flour.
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4. Heat the pork fat in the skillet over high heat until a drop ofwater flicked into it splutters and evaporates instantly. Or, pour 4 tablespoons of the butter-and-oil mixture into a 12-inch skillet and place over high heat until the foam begins to subside.
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5. Brown the veal chunksthe hot fat, 7 or 8 at a time, turning them frequently with tongs or at spatula. Add more fat or butter and oil to the skillet as needed. As the veal browns, transfer the chunks to a havy 6-to8-quarts casserole.
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6. Add the onion slices and garlic to the fat remaining in the skillet and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and translucent. With a slotted spoon transfer the onions and garlic to the casserole and spread them over the veal.
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7. Pour off all the fat from the skillet and in its place add 1 cup of the stock (or the stock-and-water mixture) and the tomato paste. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the mixture into the casserole.
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8. Cut the eggplant, potatoes, cabbage and squash into 1½-inch cubes, and cut the carrots, green pepper and celery root into strips about 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide. Separate the cauliflower into small flowerets.
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9. Put 6 tablespoons of pork fat or butter and oil in the skillet and place it over moderate heat. Adding them to the skillet in separate batches and frying each batch just long enough to color the pieces lightly and evenly, fry the eggplant, potatoes, carrots, string beans, green pepper, celery root, squash, cauliflower and cabbage.
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10. As they brown, transfer the vegetables to the casserole with a slotted spoon, arranging each one in a separate layer. Add more fat to the skillet when necessary.
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11. Pour off any fat remaining in the skillet, then add the remaining 3 cups of stock (or stock and water), the wine, parsley, marjoram, thyme and remaining salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping in any browned particles clinging to the bottom and sides of the skillet.
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12. Pour the mixture down the sides of the casserole. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover tightly and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. Add the tomatoes, grapes and peas, and bake covered for 15 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning, then serve directly from the casserole.
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NOTE: Although the Romanians traditionally use a great variety of colorful vegetables in their national stew, you may, if you wish, eliminate some, increasing the quantity of others. For example, you may omit the acorn squash or cauliflower and double the amount of potatoes or eggplant.
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