What is called a _fricandeau_ of veal is simply a cushion of veal trimmed into shape, larded, and braised. Cut a thick slice (three or four pounds) from a fillet of veal, trim it around as in cut for “blind hare” (see page 150), and lard it on top. Put some pieces of pork into a braising-kettle, or saucepan, if you have no braising-kettle; also slices of carrot, an onion with cloves stuck in, a stick of celery, and some parsley. Put in the meat, sprinkle over pepper and salt, and cover it with well-buttered paper. Now fill the pan with boiling stock, or water enough to just cover the meat. Put on a tight lid. If it is a braising-pan, set it upon the fire, with live coals on top. If a common saucepan, cover it, and put it into a hot oven.
It will take about two hours, or two hours and a half, to cook it. A professional cook would boil down the stock in which the _fricandeau_ was cooked until reduced to a glaze, then with a brush would glaze all the top of the meat, placing it in the oven a moment to dry. However, it tastes as well without this extra trouble.
The best sauce for a _fricandeau_ is a tomato-sauce. It is as often garnished with green pease, spinach, or sorrel; or a little wine (Madeira, port, or sherry) and _roux_ (see page 51) may be added to the braising-stock for a gravy. The gravy should be strained, of course.
The rib cutlets should always be neatly trimmed, the bone scraped at the end, so that it will look smooth and white. Broil them on a moderate fire, basting them occasionally with butter, and turning them often. Dish them in a circle with tomato-sauce.
These are cutlets cut from the round, although any veal cutlets may be cooked in the same way. Cut them into equal-sized pieces, beat them a little with a knife to get them into shape; season, egg, and bread-crumb them. Now, fry in a _sauté_ pan, or rather _sauté_ some thin slices of ham in a little hot lard, and when done take them out on a hot dish; fry slowly the cutlets in the same fat, and when done pour out some of the fat, if there is more than a tea-spoonful; add a little flour, then a little hot water, and, when cooked a few moments, season it well with lemon-juice, adding pepper and salt to taste; then strain it. Serve the cutlets in the centre of a dish, with the gravy poured over; and place alternate slices of the ham and lemon in a circle around them.