Braised Veal Cheeks with Humbolt Fog Mac and Cheese Sautéed Broccolini and Natural Jus
(Serves 12-15)

5 pounds veal cheeks
Canola oil, as needed
Mirepoix* of 1 head garlic cut in half, 3 carrots rough cut, 1 large onion rough cut, 3 leeks rough cut
1 bottle red wine
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs thyme
10 black peppercorns
3 parsley stems
12 qts. veal stock

Remove all the silver skin from the cheeks. In a heavy bottom rondeau (a wide and low sauce pot) with a small amount of canola oil over medium high heat brown the lightly floured and seasoned cheeks on all sides. Remove cheeks from rondeau.
Drain the oil and add the mirepoix and cook till some color has developed on the vegetables.
Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce by 75%. Place the cheeks on top of the mire poix and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and cook in a 300° oven for around 4 hours or until cheeks become extremely tender.
When cooked remove the cheeks from the liquid and place into a shallow pan. Strain the liquid over the cheeks making sure that they are covered and place in the cooler overnight.
Retain the extra liquid for the sauce and for re-warming the cheeks to order.
The sauce is simply the extra liquid strained three times and reduced to sauce consistency
*mire poix (mEEr-pwah) : a mixture of finely chopped vegetables (usually onions, carrots, and celery, in the ratio of 2:1:1), added to stocks or sauces as a basic flavoring. Can be left plain, or browned in order to add color to a stock. Other vegetables are sometimes used, depending upon the desired flavor or colors of the finished stock.


Mac and cheese

2 quarts béchamel sauce (recipe follows)
1 pound Humbolt Fog chevre
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups pasta, cooked very aldente

Bring the béchamel sauce to a simmer and fold in the cheese and adjust seasoning. Set aside 1 cup of the cheese sauce. Fold the pasta into the warm sauce and cook covered with plastic wrap and foil for 20 minutes at 350°. Cool and let set in the cooler overnight.

Bechamel sauce
1/2 pound butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 cups (2 quarts) heated milk
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture is well blended. Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to boil and thickens. Simmer, stirring frequently, over very low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a little nutmeg, if desire.


Brocollini
12 cups brocollini*

Cut the broccolini about 3 inches from the top and blanch.

*Broccolini is milder than broccoli raab and not as bitter.

To plate:

Vegetable or chicken stock, as needed
3 ounces minced shallots
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sel gris*
Microwatercress tossed with champagne vinaigrette
Humboldt Fog chevre

Bring a small amount of the braising liquid to a slow simmer, enough to cover the veal cheek. Drop the cheek gently into the braising liquid and warm for about 5 to 10 min.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the reserved cheese sauce into a sauce pan and thin with a small amount of vegetable or chicken stock.

When warmed through work in the mac and cheese until it is warm, smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with stock and adjust seasoning.

Sweat some minced shallots in a sauté pan in some butter and add the broccolini. Add some white wine to the pan and reduce till the wine and butter form a glaze over the broccolini. Season.

Arrange the broccolini in a circle and spoon the mac and cheese on top of the broccolini adding crumbled some Humbolt Fog onto the top of the warm mac and cheese for added flavor and consistency. Remove the cheek from the liquid with a slotted spoon and place on top of the mac and cheese. Sprinkle the cheek with some sel gris.

Garnish the top of the cheek with some micro watercress dressed with champagne vinaigrette . Spoon the sauce generously around the broccolini.

*Sel Gris/Grey salt with Herbs is the complex balance of the sea and her minerals mingled with Bay, Thyme, Rosemary, and Basil.