Eat Ink: Marc Forgione’s Veal Tenderlion

In this exclusive excerpt from "Eat Ink," learn how Marc Forgione, co-owner/chef of Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City, makes his veal tenderlion, boudin noir, fingerling potatoes, grilled green garlic, pearl onions and porcini mushrooms with a mustard reduction.

Veal tenderlion, boudin noir, fingerling potatoes, grilled green garlic, pearl onions and porcini mushrooms with a mustard reduction by Marc Forgione of Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City.
Photo by Daniel Luke Holton

Marc Forgione, Co-Owner/Chef, Restaurant Marc Forgione, NYC

“I use [my tattoos] almost like a roadmap of my life.” —Marc Forgione

Veal Tenderloin, Boudin Noir, Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Green Garlic, Pearl Onions, and Porcini Mushrooms, with a Mustard Reduction.

This recipe is a favorite on the menu at Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City.

Serves 4


For Tenderloins:

1 (454-gram; 1-pound) pork belly
2 garlic cloves
100 grams pork blood (ask your butcher)
20 grams kosher salt
20 grams Vadouvan Curry (from La Boite)
15 grams Chios (from La Boite)
20 grams ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
120 grams Activa, optional
2 (283-gram; 10-ounce) veal tenderloins
Canola oil
43 grams (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary

For Mustard Reduction:

3 tablespoons canola oil
Veal scraps from Tenderloins
¾ cup chopped button mushrooms
3 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
4 cups dry red wine
1 cup ruby port
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 fresh or ½ dried bay leaf
4 cups veal stock
1 cup chicken stock
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1. For Tenderloins:
Using a meat grinder or a meat-grinding attachment to your stand mixer, grind the pork belly and garlic to a medium grind. (Alternatively, you can ask your butcher to grind your pork and combine it with finely minced garlic when you bring the meat home.)

2. In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the ground pork and slowly add the blood to emulsify. Add the salt, curry, Chios, cinnamon, parsley, and Activa, if using, and mix for another 5 seconds or so.

3. Trim the tails and tops off the tenderloins so that they resemble one consistent, log-shaped loin (reserve scraps for the following Mustard Reduction recipe). Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Make a 7" × 3" rectangle out of the blood sausage meat on the plastic wrap. Place one tenderloin in the center and sprinkle enough Activa, if using, to cover the meat. Roll the meat into a tight cylinder and tie the ends tightly. Repeat with the other tenderloin.

4. Sous Vide Instructions: Fill an immersion circulator with water and preheat to 140°F. Place the tenderloins in 2 vacuum-seal bags, seal the bags, and poach in the immersion circulator for 2 hours. Transfer the tenderloins to a bowl filled with ice water (an ice bath) and allow the meat to cool, in the bag, for at least 10 minutes, or until ready to assemble the dish.

5. Sous Vide Alternative Instructions: Wrap the tenderloins in plastic wrap so that the cylinder resembles a sausage. Place the wrapped tenderloins into a resealable plastic bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Fill a pot halfway up with water and, over medium heat, bring the water to 140°F. Decrease the heat to its lowest setting, place the resealable bag in the water, and carefully watch the thermometer, making sure the temperature of the water remains around 140°F. Have a bowl of ice cubes ready so that you can add them to the water when the temperature starts to go above 140°F. Cook for about 2 hours; then transfer the bag to a bowl filled with ice water (an ice bath) and allow the meat to cool, in the bag, for at least 10 minutes, or until ready to assemble the dish.

6. When ready to serve, in a large saute pan set over high heat, warm enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan until just before it starts to smoke. Remove the tenderloins from the sealed bags, pat dry, and add them to the pan seam-side down. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Baste the tenderloins for 2 minutes and remove from the pan. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve some of the pan drippings and discard the rest.

7. For Mustard Reduction: In a 3-quart saucepot set over medium heat, warm canola oil. Add the veal scraps and cook until nicely browned, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic and cook until the shallots are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the peppercorns and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the sugar and cook 1 more minute. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Cook until the pan is dry; then add the wine, port, thyme, and bay leaf. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half, about 20 minutes. Add both the veal and chicken stocks and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 2 cups and is the consistency of syrup. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, return the reduction to the stovetop, and over medium heat, skim off any excess fat. Season to taste with salt and taste for balance—you may want to add a bit more vinegar depending on your preferences. Strain the sauce again and set aside. You will need 1 cup of sauce for this recipe (you will have 3 cups or so)—the rest can be frozen and used another time you make the dish or served with another meat dish.

8. When ready to serve, warm the reduction over medium heat and stir in the mustard until fully incorporated. Set aside. If freezing for later, add mustard just before serving.

For Pearl Onions:
1 cup red pearl onions, peeled and halved
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 fresh or ½ dried bay leaf

9. For Pearl Onions: Add the onions to a nonreactive bowl. In a nonreactive saucepot, combine the red wine vinegar, pepper, salt, sugar, and bay leaf, with ¼ cup of water, and bring to a boil. Pour the marinade over the onions and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.

For Fingerling Potatoes:

1 pound fingerling potatoes
8 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
3 fresh or 1 ½ dried bay leaves
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tablespoons blended oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

10. For Fingerling Potatoes:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes, 4 sprigs of thyme, and bay leaves and cook at an active simmer uncovered, over medium heat, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Strain and, while the potatoes are hot, peel the potatoes using a paring knife (you may need to wear rubber gloves). Transfer the potatoes to a large skillet, add the butter, garlic, and blended oil, and raise the heat to medium-high. Once the butter begins to brown, lower the heat to medium so it does not burn, add the remaining thyme, and roll the potatoes in butter, so that they are browned all the way around. Season with salt and pepper and, once the potatoes are crispy all the way around, remove from the heat and set aside.

For Meat Marinade:
1 cup chopped fresh curly parsley
3 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
Extra-virgin olive oil

11. For Meat Marinade:
Combine the parsley, shallot, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns in a small bowl. Add enough extra-virgin olive oil to cover the mixture and create a slurry. Set aside while you prepare the garlic.

For Grilled Green Garlic:

4 stalks green garlic
1 recipe Meat Marinade
Extra-virgin olive oil, to coat
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12. For Grilled Green Garlic: Trim the garlic stalks, removing any dirt and tough outer layers. Cut the stalks into 5-inch pieces. Rinse the garlic under cold, running water and transfer to a container or a resealable plastic bag. Add the Meat Marinade and let the garlic sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

13. Remove the stalks from the marinade and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Grill the garlic over high heat, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Alternatively, place the garlic under a broiler for 1 minute, or until slightly charred. Remove from the heat, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.

For Porcini Mushrooms:

1 pound small porcini mushrooms or other small mushrooms, cleaned and halved
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Canola oil
1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 head garlic, halved
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 fresh or ½ dried bay leaf
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock

14. For Porcini Mushrooms: Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan set over high heat, warm enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan until just before it starts to smoke. Add the mushrooms and reduce the heat to medium. Once the mushrooms begin to sear, about 1 to 2 minutes, add the butter, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and toss together to combine. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the butter begins to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Cook until the pan is dry, 5 to 8 minutes; add the stock and cook until the stock reduces and the pan is dry, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a parchment paper–lined tray and set aside in a warm place until ready to use.

To Complete:

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh curly parsley
12 celery leaves
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

15. To Complete:
When ready to serve, while the tenderloins rest, return the saute pan to the stovetop and, over medium heat, add 1 ounce unsalted butter, the Porcini Mushrooms, and the Fingerling Potatoes, stirring gently from time to time until warmed through. Add the Grilled Green Garlic and Pearl Onions and cook, stirring gently, until warmed through. Toss in parsley and set aside. Slice the tenderloins into 12 pieces and divide evenly across 4 warmed plates. Add the Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Green Garlic, Pearl Onions, and Porcini Mushrooms. Drizzle the Mustard Reduction and tenderloin pan drippings over the tenderloin and vegetables, garnish with the celery and sprinkle with flaky sea salt to finish.

Notes from the Chef

Vadouvan Curry and Chios can be ordered directly from La Boite’s website.

Read more about Eat Ink in our story, Beyond Squid Ink.

Excerpted from Eat Ink Copyright © 2013 by Birk O’Halloran and Daniel Luke Holton and published by F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Photos courtesy of Daniel Luke Holton.

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