beef shoulder roast recipe

No bangers and mash?

Bubble and squeak, smoked-haddock fish cakes, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding sounds more like dinner with Jaime Oliver than with the newly minted duke and duchess of Cambridge. But in keeping with the overarching narrative of this royal wedding, where everything from Kate’s dress to the ceremony has been steeped in tradition, British patriotism reigned supreme at the afternoon reception that immediately followed the newlyweds’ two pecks. At the reception, hosted by the Queen, at least 10,000 canapés in 24 varieties—prepared for the 650 guests by 21 chefs led by royal chef Mark Flanagan—were topped with ingredients showcasing the bounty of Britain’s produce. That’s 16 canapés per guest, for those keeping score.

The bubble and squeak (a hash made from leftovers of a roast-beef dinner) was topped with confit of lamb shoulder, the lamb raised at the Queen’s own Windsor estate; the goat cheese stuffed into the roulades was sourced from Britain-based cheesemonger Paxton and Whitfield; and the smoked haddock for the fish cakes, crowned with pea guacamole, arrived from the east coast of Scotland. Even the organic celery salt dusting the quail eggs was made in Wales. In fact, nearly all the canapés’ ingredients were sourced from the royal realm, including English asparagus, rhubarb and crayfish, duck from Gressingham, langoustines from the northwest coast of Scotland and pork from the Cotswolds.

To wash it down, only French bubbly, of course, would do, specifically Pol Roger reserve. For those who didn’t fancy champagne—including both Prince Charles and his father Philip—a selection of other soft and alcoholic drinks were available. The guests sashayed through 19 state rooms echoing with music by Claire Jones, the official harpist, and nibbled on the canapés buffet-style. After all, even the Queen doesn’t own a table fit for 650.

In the Picture Gallery, surrounded by Rembrandts and Rubenses, was the eight-tiered wedding cake that took pastry chef Fiona Cairns and her team five weeks to finish. Following Victorian tradition, 17 boozy fruitcakes were decorated with cream and white icing and some 900 intricate flowers and fauna, carefully chosen by the duchess of Cambridge for their symbolic significance (the couple’s newly designed insignia appeared in icing, too). There was also a sweet specifically requested by William: a three-tiered chocolate-biscuit cake, made by McVitie’s Cake Co. and based on a royal family recipe.

Wizard Recipes » Blog Archive » VEAL

Veal has always been regarded as one of the finest meats, and it is associated with some very elegant dishes. This lean, delicate meat resembles poultry more than beef, and it has a versatility that lends itself to a variety of seasonings and cooking techniques. But remember, veal requires a bit of extra attention to keep it from becoming overcooked and dried out.

Buying Veal

Veal calves are raised for eight to sixteen weeks. In order to maintain the meat’s delicate texture, the calves are never subjected to excessive movement. The finest and most expensive veal is milk-fed veal comes from older calves that were raised on grain or grass. It has a deep rosy pink color and a slightly stronger flavor than milk-fed veal. This veal is sometimes labeled “calf ” but more often it is just labeled “veal.”