Equipment
Ingredients
Veal Braise
- 800 g veal cheeks, trimmed of silver skin
- 30 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 100 g carrot, roughly chopped
- 100 g celery, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic, smashed
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml veal or chicken stock
- 2 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 10 g kosher salt
Cardamom Spinach Puree
- 500 g fresh spinach leaves, washed and tough stems removed
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 3 g ground cardamom
- 5 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 712 kcal
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 48 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2264 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 20 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 20 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 176 mg
- Potassium
- 1497 mg
- Calcium
- 224 mg
- Iron
- 5.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 206 mg
- Phosphorus
- 572 mg
- Zinc
- 5.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 990 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 43 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 624 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.35 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.98 mg
- Niacin
- 14.9 mg
- Folate
- 272 mcg
- Water
- 518 g
- Alcohol
- 5 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Generously season the trimmed veal cheeks on all sides with kosher salt. Ensure you wash hands and equipment thoroughly after handling raw veal to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Using tongs, sear the veal cheeks until a deep, dark brown crust forms on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the veal to a resting plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and smashed garlic to the Dutch oven. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and lightly caramelized.
Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half.
Return the veal cheeks to the pot. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours.
While the veal braises, prepare the spinach. Bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a rapid boil. Prepare an ice bath in a large mixing bowl. Submerge the spinach in the boiling water for exactly 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to the ice bath to halt cooking and lock in the color.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the ground cardamom and toast gently for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Warm gently without boiling, then remove from heat.
Remove the thoroughly cooled spinach from the ice bath and squeeze out as much water as physically possible using your hands. Place the tightly packed spinach into a high-speed blender along with the warm cardamom cream. Blend on high until completely smooth and emulsified.
Carefully remove the tender veal cheeks from the Dutch oven and tent with foil. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, discarding the solids. Boil the liquid rapidly on the stove to reduce it to a glossy, thick jus.
Gently re-warm the spinach puree if needed. Spoon a generous circle of the cardamom puree onto the center of warm plates. Place a braised veal cheek in the center, and spoon the rich, reduced jus over the meat, allowing it to pool slightly into the puree.
Chef's Notes
- Shocking the spinach in heavily iced water halts the cooking process instantly, which locks in the vital chlorophyll structure necessary for a spectacular green presentation.
- Veal cheeks possess thick seams of collagen. They must be braised slowly and patiently until this connective tissue melts entirely into gelatin, creating their signature melt-in-the-mouth texture.
- Toasting the ground cardamom briefly in the hot butter before adding the cream will dramatically amplify the release of its fat-soluble essential oils.
- For the smoothest puree, pass the blended spinach mixture through a fine-mesh tamis sieve before serving. This elevates the dish to a restaurant-quality finish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store veal and jus separately from the spinach puree.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze veal and jus only. The spinach puree will split and lose vibrancy if frozen.
Reheating: Reheat veal gently in jus over low heat. Warm puree separately over a double boiler just until hot to prevent discoloration.
Troubleshooting
Spinach puree is watery and weeping liquid onto the plate
Cause: Insufficient water removed from the blanched spinach before blending
Fix: Transfer puree to a wide pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to evaporate excess water
Prevention: Squeeze the blanched spinach in small handfuls, pressing out all excess moisture until it feels dry to the touch
Spinach puree has turned dull olive or brown
Cause: Spinach was boiled too long, not chilled rapidly, or an acid was introduced
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Blanch for no more than 30 seconds and plunge immediately into heavily iced water
Veal cheeks are tough and chewy
Cause: Under-braised; the collagen has not yet broken down into gelatin
Fix: Return to the oven covered in the braising liquid for another 45-60 minutes
Prevention: Cook for the full recommended time, testing with a fork for absolute tenderness before removing from the oven
Cultural Context
Pairing earthy leafy greens with warm spices like cardamom and rich meats is deeply rooted in traditional Persian and Northern Indian culinary traditions, seen in historic dishes like Saag Gosht. This modern interpretation refines those rustic origins by utilizing classical French braising techniques and a stylized puree presentation, resulting in a sophisticated fusion centerpiece ideal for winter dining.
