Veal Rack with Wild Mushroom Sauce
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A 1.1 kg veal rack tied with fresh herbs and roasted to medium. Paired with a wild mushroom sauce featuring rehydrated dried porcini and chanterelles, marsala, veal stock, and a touch of maple syrup. Cream finalizes the sauce, balanced and thickened for spooning. Oven roasted about 45 minutes; resting brings temperature to medium. Mushrooms soak for 18 minutes. Sauce reduced till slightly syrupy, about 13 minutes after combining liquids. Serve sliced veal topped with sauce alongside roasted heirloom carrots and cauliflower mash for contrast.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#veal
#mushroom
#roast
#French cuisine
#dinner party
Veal rack with herbs. Roasted slow but not too slow. Brown first, caramelized edges. Rest wait, temp rise. Mushrooms—porcini, chanterelles—dried, soak in hot water. Sauce thickens, marsala and veal stock, touch maple for sweetness. Cream gives silkiness. Sharp shallots softened in butter. Roasted veg: carrots, mix of colors to break monotony, sweet earthiness. Cauliflower mash for texture contrast. Semi-classic but tweak here: chanterelle replaces more common morels—earthier, woodsy twist. Maple less expected, adds warmth—play between sweet and savory. Timing precise, relocation of steps to optimize flow.
Ingredients
- 1.1 kg veal rack with 6 ribs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 25 ml olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 10 g dried porcini mushrooms, sliced
- 10 g dried chanterelle mushrooms
- 300 ml boiling water
- 2 small shallots, finely chopped
- 40 ml unsalted butter
- 10 ml all-purpose flour
- 200 ml marsala wine
- 2 x 300 ml containers veal stock
- 20 ml maple syrup
- 100 ml 35% cream
About the ingredients
Cut quantities by roughly 30%. Veal now 1.1 kg, smaller rack, easier to handle for medium doneness. Herbs scaled down to 2 sprigs each, less overpowering. Garlic kept whole cloves, lightly smashed for flavor release but not burnt in pan. Switching dried mushrooms: porcini remains but substitute chanterelles for morels—different but wild, deeper umami flavor profile. Slightly less butter and flour for lighter roux sauce base—makes marsala shine instead of being overwhelmed by starch. Stock standard veal, two containers, consistent base flavor. Maple syrup down to 20 ml, subtle sweet note without masking mushrooms. Cream scaled back to 100 ml to keep sauce luscious but not too heavy.
Method
- Rehydrate dried mushrooms in boiling water for 18 minutes. Strain, reserve soaking liquid.
- Preheat oven to 205 °C. Position oven rack center.
- Tie veal rack with herbs tucked under twine, season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil and garlic in large skillet. Brown veal evenly. Transfer to roasting pan.
- Roast veal 45–50 minutes until internal temperature reaches 54 °C. Remove; cover plate. Carryover heat raises to 60 °C in 10 minutes. Rest covered.
- In saucepan, melt butter, add shallots. Cook gently, season. Sprinkle flour, stir 1 minute.
- Deglaze with marsala, whisk until boiling. Add stock, maple syrup, rehydrated mushrooms, and soaking juice.
- Boil, reduce heat to simmer, reduce volume about 75%, ~13 minutes, until sauce thickens.
- Stir in cream, warm through. Adjust seasoning as needed. Reduce further if sauce too thin, aim for 430 ml.
- Slice veal, arrange on platter. Spoon mushroom sauce over slices.
- Serve with roasted colorful carrots and cauliflower purée.
Cooking tips
Start hydration of mushrooms early, 18 minutes minimum. Strain carefully, keep soaking liquid in sauce—packed with flavor. Oven set hotter at 205 °C, roasting time shifted slightly shorter, 45–50 minutes, internal temp target quest 54 °C to retain juiciness. Resting time constant; carryover heat brings to approx. 60 °C, slices juicier. Browning done in large skillet with good olive oil and garlic crushed, flavor foundation. Sauce built in steps: butter, then shallots softening, flour sprinkled and cooked gently—no burning. Marsala added gradually, whisked, boiling before liquids combined, allows reduction control. Reduction to 430 ml thick sauce, syrupy consistency, about 13 minutes simmer. Final cream addition warms, not boils. Season taste-test, adjust salt/pepper. Serve veal slices smothered with sauce. Side veggies chosen for color and earthiness—roasted carrots a sweet counterpoint, cauliflower purée creamy backbone. Timing staggered to keep warm everything, sauce last step. No resting veal uncovered; covered to avoid crust drying.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start with mushrooms. Dried porcini, chanterelles. Soak them in boiling water 18 minutes. Don't skip this step. Flavor packed and depth increased.
- 💡 Oven temp key. Preheat to 205 °C. Essential for evenly roasting veal. Helps achieve that perfect medium doneness. Avoid opening door too often.
- 💡 Brown veal in skillet. High heat matters. Olive oil helps. Garlic smashed, not chopped. Adds subtle flavor. Avoid burning garlic; keep an eye.
- 💡 Rest the veal after roasting. Covered for 10 minutes. Carryover cooking brings temp up 60 °C. Juiciness maintained that way. Don’t rush this step.
- 💡 Making sauce - don’t burn. Start with butter, then shallots. Sprinkle flour, stir for minute. Key to smoothness. Marsala, stock added next; whisk well.
Common questions
What if my veal is overcooked?
Slice thick for more tender bits. Serve with lots of sauce. Layering can mask dryness. Consider drinking wine too.
Can I use fresh mushrooms?
Yes, fresh works but adjust amounts. Flavor profiles change. More depth with dried. Fresh adds different texture.
How long can leftovers be stored?
Store in fridge for 2-3 days. Reseal tightly. Reheat on low; prevent dryness. Saucing again helps restore moisture.
Can I freeze this dish?
Yes, freeze sauce separate. Make sure veal cools. Store in airtight. Will stay good 2-3 months. Thaw slowly in fridge.
