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The main dish, French classic

Roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois

Roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois is a classic dish for 6 people that needs 50 minutes of active work out of 3 hours 20 minutes total. The gratin is made the day before and simply reheated while the roast cooks, which frees up the day of your dinner. The recipe is easy, costs about €5.50 per person, and its success depends on browning the roast well and finishing the mushroom jus right before serving.

Tender roast veal with a woodland mushroom jus and a real gratin dauphinois, simple and generous.

Roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois
For
6 people
Work
50 min
Total time
3 h 20
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.50
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The roast veal cooks slowly then rests under foil, which keeps it pink in the center and full of juice. Woodland mushrooms and shallots, browned in the same pan as the roast, pick up all the cooking juices before being deglazed with white wine and finished with cream. The result is tender meat coated in a sauce that genuinely tastes of the forest floor, with nothing complicated about making it.

This dish fits a family dinner in fall or winter, a Sunday lunch, or any occasion where you want to host without spending your whole evening in the kitchen. The gratin dauphinois, baked the day before and just reheated, turns this into a menu where almost nothing is left to do at the last minute. A simple starter beforehand, a light dessert after, and the evening centers around the main course.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 1 h 15
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 1 h 25
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 10 min

The day before, make and bake the gratin dauphinois, then let it rest in the fridge, it slices better after a night. The day of, season and sear the roast veal on all sides. Just before your guests arrive, put the roast in the oven and reheat the gratin at the same time. At serving time, sauté the mushrooms in the roasting juices, pour the sauce over the sliced roast, and serve right away.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Veal roast (eye round) 1.3 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Wild mushrooms 500 g
  • Shallots 3
  • Potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 50 cl
  • Milk 25 cl

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 15 cl
  • Butteroften in the pantry 60 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Rub a baking dish with garlic, arrange the potatoes in thin washed but unrinsed rounds, add the salted, peppered milk and cream flavored with nutmeg, and bake at 160°C. 1 h 15

    Don't rinse the potato rounds, their starch thickens the cream.

  2. Let the gratin cool, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge.

    It reheats very well and its golden edges are even better the next day.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Tie the roast veal, season with salt and pepper, and sear it in a Dutch oven with butter on all sides.

    Brown every side well, that's where the flavor of the jus comes from.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Put the roast in the oven at 180°C, then let it rest under a sheet of foil. 55 min

    Pierce it at the end of cooking, the juices should run clear, not pink.

  2. Put the gratin back in the oven at 180°C while the roast cooks. 30 min

    Uncover it for the last ten minutes so it browns again.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Sauté the mushrooms and shallots in the roasting pan, deglaze with white wine, add a little cream, then slice the roast and coat it with the sauce. 10 min

    The mushrooms should brown without releasing water, season them only at the end.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the roast out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before searing it, cold meat browns less evenly and cooks less uniformly.
  • Choose a dish just large enough for the potato slices in the gratin, they need to be covered in cream without excess liquid that would keep it from setting.
  • Keep the roast's cooking residue in the pan without washing it before sautéing the mushrooms, that's what gives the sauce its full flavor.

The variations

  • Swap the woodland mushrooms for button mushrooms year round, the result is milder but still tasty.
  • For a vegetarian version, serve the gratin alone as a main course and double the mushroom quantity to serve alongside with a green salad.
  • For a faster meal, replace the tied roast with veal cutlets pan fried for a few minutes, the mushroom sauce stays the same.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A dry white wine from the same bottle
  • An apple tart for dessert

Storage

The roast and the gratin keep 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The gratin freezes well, the roast loses a bit of texture after freezing but is still good in sauce. Reheat gently in the oven rather than the microwave to keep the gratin's edges crisp.

Questions about this recipe

Can the roast veal be made entirely ahead of time?

The roast is seared the day of to keep a good texture, but you can make the mushroom sauce ahead and reheat it right before serving. Only the carving of the roast really happens at the last minute.

Which woodland mushrooms work best for this recipe?

Chanterelles, porcini, or a seasonal mix all work well. Outside of wild mushroom season, fresh button mushrooms also give a good result.

How do you know when the roast veal is cooked right?

Pierce the roast at the end of cooking, the juices that run out should be clear, not pink. Resting it under foil after the oven finishes the cooking and spreads the juice through the meat.

Can this dish be served to more than 6 guests?

Simply increase the roast's weight and the gratin quantities proportionally, keeping a dish large enough for the potato slices to cook evenly. Allow a bit more cooking time for a larger roast.

Can a roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 50 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois?

Allow 3 h 20 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 50 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois?

About 640 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roast veal with mushrooms and gratin dauphinois cost?

About €5.50 per person, that's €33.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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