|
News Articles |
|
Diners and chefs who eschew veal from calves raised in cages and force-fed have a new option. Azuluna Brands' calves are raised by New England farmers using a system developed by a Tufts veterinary professor that's based on traditional European practices: The calves range and feed freely, including on their mothers' milk. The meat is not as light in color as the more commonly available veal; tender and flavorful, the free-range veal is a rose-pink. Since this veal is seasonal and produced on a small scale, chefs can't guarantee they'll always have it on their menus. But that doesn't bother Michael Leviton, chef-owner of Lumiere in West Newton, who had stopped serving veal four years ago: "It's important to me to know how the cow is raised and slaughtered." He experimented with some of Azuluna's first samples and was impressed with the meat, which, he says, "tastes like veal the way it's supposed to taste." This fall, he's making green-curry-braised veal breast served with sweet-potato puree. "The braise coaxes the deep, rich flavor out of the meat," says Leviton, and "the flavors of lemon grass, kafir lime leaf, and thai basil all stand up to the richness." Other Azuluna fans include Anna Wallach, chef and co-owner of Truffles Grille & Wine Bar in Milford. She roasts the veal loin and serves it with cranberry compote and pumpkin-chard hash. At Icarus in Boston's South End, chef-owner Chris Douglass braises the veal breast and serves it with black trumpet mushrooms and pumpkin risotto. ICARUS 3 Appleton Street, Boston, 617-426-1790, icarusrestaurant.com
|
|
© 2008 by Azuluna Brands, LLC, all rights reserved |
|
By Rachel Travers Date: October 8, 2006 |
|
The Veal Deal |
