“Mmmmm…..unexplained bacon.” -Homer Simpson, Renaissance (Every)Man, beer guzzler, patriarch of The Simpsons family, and die-hard bacon fanatic

I am really missing my Daddy lately.  It comes and goes, of course, but lately it’s been really hard.  Sometimes we had a bit of trouble getting along together (more because we were built too similarly versus being built at odds, I’ve always thought), but in periods of confusion and melancholy, I knew I had a really smart guy to consult with and gain perspective from, and he would always hear me out.  All he wanted for me was happiness.  And in a very human way, happiness has lately been somewhat evasive.  It’s been tough the past few months.  I’m having a really hard time getting my head and heart on stable ground, to know what to do next…..to know what to be next.  I really wish I could ask him for some direction and some sage advice.  I still ask him for help sometimes, but now he doesn’t answer.  It’s awfully silent on the other end of those conversations.

He’s been on my mind quite a bit lately, right there in the forefront, for another reason.  As my culinary school graduation date approaches (is it really only 8 weeks away?), I’ve been working on a project creating recipes that he inspired in me one way or another.  It’s little snapshots of our culinary history together.  The centerpiece to the meat course I created is this recipe.  My Dad’s all-time favoritest meal ever was, hands down, his Mother’s “Steak Rolls.”  She made them for us lots of times growing up, and my Dad made them lots for my sister & I, too, especially when we were kids.  Her version was very simple, from what I could get out of her, and always wrapped in bacon.  Later, I learned that what I knew as “Steak Rolls” were actually a version of what’s known as a much fancier-sounding “roulade,” which are native to Austria (and specifically Vienna), where my paternal heritage comes from.  That made it even better, and sort of beautiful, too.  Here I had a recipe that’s probably been passed down through generations of my family’s kitchens in various forms.  Well, I just had to throw my own recipe into the hat.

I really just sort of brainstormed this one out on a notepad.  I opted for veal instead of steak because it’s not a protein I use much and I thought it would be a nice direction to take this dish.  Veal stands up very well to really deep, rich flavors, so my stuffing mixture really takes advantage of that.  The slight sweet of the cherries is sort of picked up again in the sauce by way of the Laird’s Applejack, which really did wonders for the flavor of the sauce.  (You see Laird’s Applejack popping up quite a bit in these sort of throw-back vintage-style bars in Brooklyn these days, and it’s got fantastic flavor.  I knew it would do wonders for a sauce.)  And of course, who doesn’t love bacon?  I had to keep my Grandmother’s rules intact somehow, after all.  What I came up with turned out really nicely, and I was incredibly happy with it.  (I will not admit to the whereabouts of the leftovers.  Nope, not me.)  For my project I served it with some creamy polenta, shiitake mushrooms, and sautéed spinach, but it would be great with any number of sides.  And if the bacon doesn’t hook you, the fun spiral shape will.

Wherever you are, Daddy, I hope they serve Steak Rolls there.

Ingredients:

For the roulades & stuffing:

Neutrally-flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola

1 medium onion, washed, peeled, halved from root to tip, and sliced into thin half-moons

1/4 cup breadcrumbs from day-old Brioche (or store-bought plain bread crumbs)

1/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tbsp. parsley leaves, washed, dried very well, and chopped fine

1 tbsp. thyme leaves, washed, and dried very well

6 boneless veal cutlets (or “scallopini” cuts), pounded out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/8″ thick

6 strips of good bacon (NOTE:  I used Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon)

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the jus:

1 medium onion, washed, peeled, and cut into chunks about 1/2″ in size

1 medium carrot, washed, peeled, and cut into chunks about 1/2″ in size

1 stalk celery, washed, peeled, rough ends removed, and cut into chunks about 1/2″ in size

2 cloves garlic, smashed, skins removed

1/4 cup Laird’s Applejack (or cognac, or brandy)

2 quarts veal stock (preferably homemade)

2 tbsp. butter

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

For the roulades & stuffing:

1.  Preheat oven to 450ºF.

2.  Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add just enough of the oil to coat the cooking surface of the pan and allow to get nice and hot.

3.  When the oil is hot and you see a “wave” pattern in it when you move the pan around, add the sliced onion, stirring quickly to coat with the oil.  Turn heat down to a nice medium flame.  Cook the onions until a nice, deep, hazelnut color is achieved, and they are very fragrant, about 10 minutes.  Don’t allow the onions to burn or “char” at the edges – just work slowly, stirring occasionally, and the caramelization will happen.  When the onions are done, spread out on a paper-towel lined plate to drain for a few minutes.

4.  In a stainless steel or glass workbowl, combine the drained caramelized onions, breadcrumbs, dried cherries, and herbs.  Mix together with clean hands or a fork.  Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

5.  Working one at a time, spread a nice, even layer of the stuffing mixture over one of the pounded veal cutlets.  Starting at one end, roll the cutlet up tightly in the lengthwise direction.  Starting where the seam is, begin to wrap a strip of bacon around the roulade, working in a diagonal/bias direction.  Tie each end of the roulade with butcher string.  (NOTE:  Roulades can be frozen at this stage for later use – just defrost overnight in the refrigerator before continuing with the next step.)

6.  In a clean medium sauté pan over high heat, again add just enough of the neutrally-flavored oil to coat the cooking surface.  When pan and oil are very hot, sear the roulades (working in batches, if necessary) until nice and golden brown on all sides.  After this has been achieved, reserve roulades on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.  Leave the sauté pan dirty with all the brown bits and gunk in it, but discard any excess oil in the pan.  (This pan will be used to start the sauce.)

7.  About 15 minutes prior to serving time, place the seared roulades on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place in the hot oven to finish cooking for about 8-10 minutes, or until a thermometer reaches 150ºF.  (Ideal temperature for medium is 160º, but the meat will continue to cook a bit once you remove it from the oven, so you want to stop a bit shy of that to prevent over-cooking and drying out.)  Allow the roulades to rest again on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

For the jus:

1.  In the sauté pan with all the brown bits still in it, add a bit of fresh oil and return to medium-high heat.  When the pan is nice and hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until the vegetables achieve a nice, deep, golden-brown color, about 8 minutes.

2.  Add the Laird’s Applejack, and scrape up all of the bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden or rubber spatula.  Cook until about 1/3 of the liquid is left in the pan.  Transfer the contents of the pan to a medium saucepan, add the veal stock, and place over high heat.

3.  Bring the pot to a rapid boil, and then turn back to a simmer.  Allow to gently bubble away, partially covered, for a good 30-45 minutes.  Strain out all of the solids through a fine-mesh strainer and return the liquid to a clean pot.

4.  Turn the heat up to high, and bring to a medium boil.  Allow to remain at a boil and reduce until it has the consistency of a thick broth, and is deeply-colored and flavorful.  When desired consistency is achieved, stir in the butter, and season to taste with salt & pepper.

To serve:

1.  Slice the roulades into rounds about 1/4″ thick, and on a slight bias.  Arrange neatly on a plate and nap with a ladle of the jus.  Serve immediately.

Yield: This recipe will make 6 portions, but you don’t have to tell anyone that.  You can hide at least 2 of those in your tummy.

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