Veal Wellington – a Daring Cooks Challenge
The 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Simone of Junglefrog Cooking. Simone chose Salmon en Croute (or alternative recipes for Beef Wellington or Vegetable en Croute) from Good Food Online.
It was about time that I got back into the swing of life as a foodblogger, and just as quickly I may evict myself again. I am not really sure why I elected to undertake this challenge in the first place. Beef Wellington was just a stand-in dish for those adverse to fish. I love fish, but I just could not bring myself to make salmon en croute, that is the stuff my nightmares are made of.
In my last year as an apprentice (before I quit) I was working at a fancy restaurant and it was wearing me down. The long hours, the high school bitchiness, the pain, and all for a very light pay packet. I knew that I needed to get out, find a new job but excessive working hours, exhaustion and an otherwise empty life meant my self confidence was at an all time low. So I stuck it out, sat by and watched my dreams crumbling, powerless to stop
I did end up leaving that job in November but not before being exiled to a Good Food Month ‘Lets Do Lunch’ hell. Any opportunity for the masses to dine at this otherwise pricey establishment saw demand crush the living daylights out of supply and this October was no different. And what was our dish? Coulibiac. The exact recipe has been banished from memory, all I remember is fish, rice, mushrooms and those unforgettable crepes of pain and suffering wrapping side after side of salmon. Day after day for an entire month. Fish pie has forever been tarnished in my eyes.
So I vowed to re-enter ‘society’ not with a simplified coulibiac, but with a beef wellington It may sound strange, but I don’t really know how to buy meat here, there aren’t any butcheries at least not as I’m used to. The only applicable meat I could find was this Australian Veal which was very expensive, but deliciously tender when just pink. I only wish I didn’t have to wrap this choice cut in crepes and average pastry (eggless, what is with that?) and bake it. But that is what I get for wanting to be part of a group. Served with warming braised red cabbage with Balsamic vinegar – butter, stock (though I just used water), garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, vinegar – you know what to do.
I think this dish would have been better deconstructed, if only I had the confidence, then and now.
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7 Comments
Oh, you’re too harsh on yourself! Given time, a different attitude and a different outlook, the passion for all things will return. It will seem much less like a chore and more something you will want to do for yourself. I left work at a horrible point in my life mid last year, but am about to embark on something different very soon. Change is not always swift, but it will come.
.-= mademoiselle délicieuse´s last blog ..Five days in Brisbane: Sono, 20 October 2009 =-.
Ah, someone else that wasn’t entirely please with their entry. Join the club!
Though, to be fair, despite what you’ve said, I’d prefer to eat yours over mine. Looks like it would have been nice.
Nice work seeing the challenge to the end. Hopefully, things will turn out more to your liking next month
Oh what a shame. It looks quite tasty to me. Also, I never od-ed on coulibiac, so I still quite like it. It’s pretty old school, but when done well, is so so delicious!
.-= Y´s last blog ..The possessive pronoun of cake =-.
I’ve always thought of beef wellington as a party dish – may be that’s why I prefer it to beef that’s just grilled… so much more festive! Yours looks delicious.
.-= Trissa´s last blog ..Quay’s Vanilla Mousse with Fresh Raspberries and The Ghost of Christmas Past =-.
The veal looks great, but what’s with eggless puff pastry? You must be kidding.
I’ll ask my Vietnamese colleagues where they would have bought meat from. There must be butchers somewhere. You had a Vietnamese butcher in Marrickville for Christ’s sake.
.-= SydneyCider´s last blog ..Al-Sikbaj and the Art of Medieval Arab Cookery =-.
Looks great! I’d never has considered using veal.}:P
.-= Wolf´s last blog ..Today… =-.
mademoiselle délicieuse: What lovely words, thank you.
Simon: If I make it that far, then yes!
Y: Arrrghh say it ain’t so, even hearing the word ‘coulibiac’ still fills me with dread!
Trissa: You’re right, it is a festive dish fit for a party, unfortunately I ate mine alone, maybe that is another reason to dislike it.
SydneyCider: I know, lame, right? I am pretty sure that they just buy meat from the market, but I’m too scared to cross the road to get there! Maybe one day
Wolf: I am liking veal more and more.