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Salt-baked veal cutlets with confit fennel and carrots

Salt-baked veal cutlets with confit fennel and carrots

This recipe appeared in the August/September 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.

Wine to try
2005 Dolium Syrah, Mendoza (Argentina), A$27
This syrah is in the mid-weight mode typical of the northern Rhône. It’s the perfect partner with the intense flavours of salt-crusted veal cutlets, the sweetness of the carrots and the caramelised richness and aniseed notes of the baked fennel. For an Aussie alternative, try the 2007 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz. It’s a sweetly spiced style with low oak impact and a perfumed lift from some viognier skins introduced during fermentation.

Salt-baked veal cutlets with confit fennel and carrots

Serves 4
500g   rock salt
3   eggwhites
½ tbsp   extra-virgin olive oil
4   veal cutlets on the bone (about 220g each)
1 bunch   fresh sage
1 bunch   fresh rosemary
1 bunch   thyme
Confit fennel and carrots
2   large bulbs fennel (about 750g), stems trimmed then cut in half lengthways
500ml   extra-virgin olive oil
3   garlic cloves
1 tbsp   fresh rosemary
1 tbsp   flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp   fresh thyme
1 bunch   baby carrots, trimmed and boiled


1 To make confit fennel and carrots, place fennel in a large roasting dish. Place olive oil, herbs and garlic in a saucepan and heat over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the oil reaches a temperature of 70C, just hot enough to allow the herbs and garlic to infuse the oil. Pour oil, herbs and garlic over the fennel and cook in a preheated oven at 60C for 50 minutes. Transfer fennel to a serving platter and combine with carrots. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with a little of the remaining oil.
2 Place salt and eggwhites in a large bowl and mix well. Lightly grease a large baking tray with the olive oil. Cover the tray with a third of the salt mixture in an even layer. Place the veal cutlets on top of the salt. Cover with the herbs and remaining salt mixture, ensuring that the veal cutlets are covered with the salt mixture. Place in a preheated oven at 200C and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before carefully cracking salt crust to expose veal cutlets. Transfer veal cutlets to plates and serve with confit fennel and carrots.


RECIPE Andy Harris and Alessandro Pavoni PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem STYLING Sabine Schmitz DRINK SUGGESTION Peter Bourne

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