Veal Medallions in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Veal Medallions with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

I’ve been posting up recipes less often because I’ve joined the corporate rat race. However, my participation is in a much smaller capacity than the ASX (or rather, Wall Street) fanatics since I’m working in a small family-owned business based here in Brisbane. Since my first week wasn’t very intense and I have an early start at 8, I headed home early on one of those days and made dinner.

Chop chop - components of this dish

(Yes, that’s me balancing the mushrooms on my arm – waitressing did me some good!)

Well, I found out that it’s not good for me to be in the supermarket without a single idea as to what to cook, especially as my mom had specifically said ‘no pasta’. That resulted in me, standing at the meat aisle, peering at various types and cuts of meat like a lost child. After much hemming and hawing (by my lonesome), I finally picked up 2 packs of veal medallions and approached one of those kind butchers who happily share their ways of cooking the meats. Her suggestion was to crumb it, but I didn’t really feel like it. What I did take from her though, was the idea to dunk it in milk and egg before dusting it with flour and frying it off. From there, I decided that it’d be a gravy stew of sorts, similar to Stroganoff since I remembered that there was a carton of sour cream in the fridge. Then I couldn’t pass up on beautiful Portobello mushrooms which were discounted. Love it when these elements meld together like a dream come true! This dish goes well with mashed potatoes or rice, and it’d probably be good for you to steam up some greens/toss together a salad. Gotta live up to our human reputation as omnivores once in awhile, no?

Sour cream always did more good than harm!

If you’re thinking that this is an indulgent dish, then you’re right. I’m not gonna lie to your faces! I actually had country fried chicken and salty chips for lunch that day, so you can imagine how much my derriere hated belonging to the rest of my body. But there are ways you can make this healthier: use chicken breasts, (reduced salt) chicken or vegetable stock, reduced fat sour cream, the type of oil that you like (I’m sick of the arguments for or against vegetable/canola/olive/peanut/sunflower oil so you can take it up with your neighbours, for all I care). You can even choose not to pre-fry the veal; instead, throw the meat in after the carrots have softened slightly. There are days when all I want is a big bowl of salad with balsamic dressing, so I would understand perfectly. The most important thing? Enjoy the meal.

Better than it looks, I promise!

Veal Medallions in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Serves four to six

• 800 g veal medallions, fat trimmed and chopped into chunks
• 400 g Portobello mushrooms, cut into chunks
• 2 cups beef stock (you can use the ‘reduced salt’ variant)
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt & pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped into chunks
• 2 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tomatoes, chopped into chunks
• 7 tbsp olive oil
• optional: dried herbs of your liking

1. Combine the egg and milk in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together the flour, dried herbs (if using), and salt and pepper.
2. Dunk the meat into the egg & milk mixture, then coat in the flour mixture. Set aside on another dish.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot and fry 1/3 of the veal chunks (about 4 minutes per side). Do not crowd the pan so the meat can brown evenly. Set aside the meat and do not clean the pot. Continue frying the meat in another 2 batches with 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil per batch.
4. Once you’re done frying the meat, heat the remaining oil in the pot and when that is hot, add in the onions and carrots.
5. When the vegetables have softened, add in the garlic and fry for 30 seconds before throwing in the meat and tomatoes.
6. Continue frying for about 2 minutes before pouring in the beef stock. Let it come to boil before turning down the heat to a simmer.
7. Add in the sour cream and mix well. Then, add in the chopped mushrooms.
8. Simmer for about 10 minutes on medium heat before turning the stove off.
9. Scoop into a large serving bowl or individual plates. Serve immediately with your choice of carbs and greens.