Taste of NY-Brooklyn to Berkshires-Veal Loin

A busy week in NYC has inspired me to get back to sharing food adventures & recipes.  My best friend from high school is a Manhatten lawyer who escapes to 19 acres in the Berkshires on weekends with her husband, a retired lawyer, foodie-New York style–no microwave, no packaged or canned or prefrozen food in their house-he knows every market from Brooklyn to the Berkshires & we hit them to fill coolers for the weekend.

Before leaving Manhatten we were off to Bleeker Street to Ottomanelli & Sons Prime Meat Market (shop & owners looked like a classic out of a Godfather’s movie).  The 5 pound veal roast David had ordered looked like a side of beef–it filled an entire baking sheet!  Guinea hen, rabbit, quail, duck, milk-fed lamb, suckling pig, venison, and on & on–I’ve never seen such variety & quality in one place–

To the Gourmet Garage for lox, local bakery for bagels & brioche, and 3 roadside markets for gorgeous fruits, veggies, local maple syrup.  I was struck by the beauty of the small market displays–very different from our more rustic Oregon markets. Daughter Shoe Chef is very critical of my photo attempts, but I’ll include a few.

First night in the country David served a simple but restaurant-worthy dish–Veal Loin with tomatoes & Capers-If I can find a good butcher, my friends will be drooling over this meal soon!

Veal Loin Tomato & Capers

4 1/2 lb. Veal Loin-bone in

9      plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons Italian parsley

6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup capers, rinsed

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sea salt

Preheat oven 300 degrees

Peel, seed & rough chop tomatoes; chop parsley; peel garlic, rinse capers.

Season meat on all sides.  Melt butter in large Dutch oven and brown meat.  Add vinegar & reduce.  Put in oven.  In 30 minutes turn & baste.  In 30 more minutes add garlic.  In 5 minutes add tomatoes & sea salt.  Roast 30 more minutes then add capers & parsley.

Carve veal in thick chops and spoon on sauce.  Fabulous with fresh smashed potatoes.