A Seder dinner with a difference

©Associated Press

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 13, 2000

The Seder is a solemn service with a meal that ushers in the Passover holiday. It dates to the exodus of Jews from Egypt and is steeped in tradition.

The meal, prepared the day before following dietary rules, most likely would include gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls, a brisket, vegetables and a starch plus dessert.

Selma Brown Morrow, associate food editor of Bon Appetit, strives for something different.

"In my house, I like to bring my family up to date with food that is innovative yet still bows to custom," she writes in the magazine's April issue. "All the requisite ingredients are present, but they're much more interesting than usual. . .

"I make roast veal, a fairly standard main course, but no one would call my porcini, rosemary and garlic version standard."

Veal Shoulder with Porcini Mushrooms, Garlic and Rosemary

• 3/4-ounce package dried porcini mushrooms

• 8 large garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 5-pound veal shoulder clod roast, tied to hold shape

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 pounds meaty veal neck bones

• 4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 1/2 cup drained chopped canned tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind mushrooms to a powder in a coffee grinder or spice mill. Coarsely chop garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper in processor. Set aside 1 tablespoon garlic mixture. Press the remainder, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, into center of veal through openings of string (or poke holes in veal and push garlic mixture in). Coat outside of veal with mushroom powder.

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add bones and brown well, about 8 minutes. Transfer bones to bowl. Add veal to pot. Brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add reserved 1 tablespoon garlic mixture and any remaining mushroom powder to pot around veal and stir 1 minute. Arrange bones around veal. Add broth, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cover; place in the oven and roast about 2 hours or until veal is tender, turning veal every 30 minutes.

Cool veal uncovered 1 hour. Discard bones. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated 1 day.

After 24 hours, remove from refrigerator and scrape off fat from surface of sauce. Transfer veal to work surface, scraping any sauce back into pot. Remove strings. Cut veal crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-thick slices. Overlap slices in large baking dish. Boil sauce until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over veal.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake veal covered until heated, about 35 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Veal can be prepared 2 days in advance. Cover with foil and chill.

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