Both
of us have picked up a lot of weight over the last few months on the media
circuit, so we are back to Banting and eating lots of fresh food for a while to
see if we can avoid canapés and eat healthy. Lynne spotted some mini steaks in
Checkers that were so pale she surmised they might just be baby beef. She
batted them out with a mallet and made this for supper last night. It is very
quick and tastes heavenly. We hope you will try it. You need thin slices of
beef or veal steak or you could use pork leg. Instead of using just salt and
pepper as a seasoning Lynne uses the Woolworths Steak & Chops spice mixture
in the large grinder. This contains fennel seeds with other herbs and spices
and garlic and really adds more flavour to the dish.
Veal Limone with fried Fennel
1
or 2 large bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced - 2 T olive oil - 2 T butter - salt
and freshly ground pepper - 8 thin slices of veal, beef or pork steak - 1/4 cup
of flour - Steak & Chop seasoning - zest and juice of one lemon - 1/2 cup
of dry white wine - 1 cup of good chicken stock - 1/2 T butter
Put
the meat, one piece at a time, into a plastic bag and bash with a meat mallet
on both sides until it is thin and twice its original size. Set aside. Mix the
flour with the seasoning. Heat a frying pan till it is sizzle hot, add the oil
and the butter and when foaming add the sliced fennel. Season it. Cook for
about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, till it is golden brown and softening. Remove
with a slotted spoon and keep warm. If necessary add more oil and butter to the
pan.
Dip
the meat into the seasoned flour on both sides and fry a couple of pieces at a
time for just a minute on each side till they are golden on the outside. Put in
a dish under foil while you finish the sauce. Add the wine to the hot pan and
let it reduce, then add stock and the lemon zest and juice. Let it reduce till
it begins to thicken, taste and adjust the seasoning. Monté the sauce (this
enriches it and makes it glossy) by adding the half a tablespoon of butter in
small pieces. Put the meat back into the sauce and serve immediately on a bed
of the fried fennel. Feeds 4. You can halve the recipe for 2
We
had this with a large salad with lettuce, rocket, tomatoes, avocado, sliced
courgettes and olives and drank a good unwooded Chardonnay (from Ashton) which went perfectly
with the lemon and butter flavours of the sauce.
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor &
Bacchus 2015
