Fricando amb bolets (fricasee with boletus mushrooms)

This is one of the few traditional dishes made with veal, the origin of which is typically urban cuisine. Another of its peculiarities is that it is usually prepared the day before and can be reheated at convenience, as it maintains the quality and flavour given to it by the boletus mushrooms (carreroles) and other seasoning.

Several sources point to the recipe's medieval origin. However, the current way of making this delicious stew appears for the first time in a 17^th century recipe book, and since then, it has been a fixed dish in the Catalan gastronomic tradition in our homes. As with many other meals based on veal fillets, several variations can be found depending on the geographical area and who is the one preparing them.

We present one with Andorran veal, which currently has the Official Guaranteed Seal of “Controlled Quality Meat of Andorra”.
 

Method for 4 people:

Chop the onions with the shallots, garlic, a sprig of celery, carrots, parsley and tomatoes.

Add the ingredients and cook in an earthenware bowl with about 750 ml of water, a bay leaf, a clove, a cinnamon stick, salt and pepper.

Separately, cut the meat into very thin fillets, season with salt and flour.

Then fry it in a pan with a bit of oil and lard and, once it is golden brown, put it in the casserole.

Then strain the vegetable broth, pour it over the meat and cover while it cooks.

After about 25 to 30 minutes, when half cooked, add the boletus mushrooms, which you have previously cleaned and browned in the pan.

Also add the chopped ingredients. Wait for another 25 to 30 minutes to finish cooking, and the fricando is ready. To check the meat as it cooks, prick it with the tip of a knife. Utterly delicious. And if wait for the next day, even more so.

Ingredients for preparing the fricando amb bolets:

-1.5 kg of veal brisket
-800 g of scalded carrots
-2 onions
-5 or 6 shallots
-4 or 5 cloves of garlic
-1 sprig of celery
-2 carrots
-2 ripe tomatoes
-1 bay leaf
-1 clove
-1 cinnamon stick
-Flour
-Parsley
-Pepper
-Salt
-A little bit of oil
-A little lard
-Chopped garlic, almonds and biscuit

Fricando with veal fillets, is another dish that has come down to us from the Catalan culinary tradition.