Veal

John Schumacher bought the historic but deteriorating Broz Hotel, 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis, back in 1974. After renovating the building, he reopened it as a European-style hotel and restaurant. Schumachers' is now on the National Register of Historic Places. John's wife, Kathleen, runs the front of the popular restaurant, and John is the chef. His specialties are central European fare — like this veal sauté.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The veal shanks are extremely tender and have lots of great-tasting sauce. Serve them with the butternut polenta and steamed rapini (also called broccoli rabe), and offer Pinot Noir with dinner.

Hélène Wagner-Popoff writes, "My husband, Ivan, and I moved to Corsica from Madagascar eleven years ago on a whim. We restored an abandoned convent and saved the thousand-year-old olive grove surrounding it. The fact that I live in the country — with the luxury of having a garden full of wonderful ingredients — makes it easy for me to love cooking. I like to surprise my family and guests with unexpected flavor combinations that don't take a lot of effort."

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Using meat loaf mix — a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork — ensures a juicy result. While the meat loaf cooks, mash some potatoes and boil some green beans. Warm apple pie from the bakery is a perfect finale.

Serve this hearty veal shank stew with warm crusty bread.

"While visiting Long Beach, California, we dined at a bit of elegant, imported Italy called L'Opera," writes Shirley Harris of Sun Lakes, Arizona. "The service was excellent, each dish divine, but the veal scaloppine was what my husband begged me to try to re-create. It would be great to surprise him with this dish at home." If you can't find porcini powder in the spice aisle of your supermarket, grind 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms in a spice mill; that will be enough for one tablespoon.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You'll need to order this cut of veal, a two-rib chop, from your butcher. When the meat is carved, the first one or two slices may contain gristle, but after that the veal will be beautifully tender.

For some time I had been thinking: How can I pare down a classic meat sauce for those occasions when I have neither the time to make nor the voracity to consume a full-scale ragù? The sauce below is the answer I came up with. I replaced beef with veal; eliminated the milk, the wine, the carrot, and the celery; and reduced the cooking time from several hours to half of one. It is as easy to take as it is to do. Is it a favorite dish? Sure — it is my favorite simple meat sauce. Suggested pasta: The ideal carrier for this simple meat sauce is a homemade noodle, in particular one scented with rosemary and sage, cut into fettuccine or tonnarelli.  Boxed dry pasta in a short tubular shape such as penne or maccheroncini  can be a satisfactory alternative.

Be sure to have the butcher bone the veal chops. Serve this elegant main course with vegetables.

Joan Macht of Manistee, Michigan, writes: "My wedding shower was held at the Blue Slipper Bistro in Onekama, Michigan. For dinner I had the veal scaloppine saltimbocca, and now I want to make it for my new husband. Will you ask owner Cheryl Kissel for the recipe? The word saltimbocca in this classic Italian recipe means "jumps in your mouth," because of the great combination of flavors. The addition of herbes de Provence gives this version a bit of a French accent.

A simplified take on the traditional French veal stew. Serve with rice.

Have your butcher order the veal breast, then ask him to bone, butterfly, and pound it, forming a rectangle that has the dimensions described in the recipe.

In the following recipe the veal is roasted on top of the stove, a cooking technique that was developed in Italy before home ovens became commonplace. Unlike braising, this method uses only a small amount of liquid and results in meat that is succulent and tender but not falling apart. Pan roasting also renders a delicious caramelized coating and savory pan juices. Surprisingly, the anchovies do not impart a strong fishy flavor but rather add rich depth. Do not salt the meat before browning it, as the anchovies have salt aplenty.

Serve this sophisticated entrée on a bed of spinach linguine that has been tossed with sautéed strips of red and yellow bell peppers.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 18 hr (includes chilling)