Recipe Manuscript

Grillades De Veau De Madame Josephine Nicauds

Name: Grillades De Veau De Madame Josephine Nicauds
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 680 g veal (preferably from the sirloin or other tender cut), cut into 3 cm squares, 1 cm thick; 20 g lard or diced pork fat (or substitute with unsalted butter or neutral oil if unavailable); 1 medium onion, finely sliced (about 100 g); 90 ml chopped or crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned); Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; Fresh parsley, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp); 10 g plain flour; 10 g unsalted butter; 100 ml water (approximately); Optional: 1 small green bell pepper, sliced; Optional: 250 g veal sweetbreads (riz de veau) or 2-3 partridges (if using instead of veal)

1903

From the treasured pages of Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages

Written by Célestine Eustis

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Grillades De Veau De Madame Josephine Nicauds

Original Recipe • 1903

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Grillades De Veau De Madame Josephine Nicauds

"Demandez la petite tranche de veau, c'est plus tendre. Coupez une livre et demie de veau en petits carrés de trois centimètres, un centimètres d'épaisseur, mettez une grande cuillerée de lard dans la poêle, faites chauffer très-chaud, faites frire votre veau jusqu'à ce qu'il soit bien roussi, ajoutez des oignons coupés très-fins, laissez colorer, ajoutez un quart de canne de tomates, sel, poivre, persil, laissez cuire, ajoutez un peu de farine, laissez roussir, mettez un peu de beurre, un peu d'eau, laissez cuire au petit feu à peu près une demi-heure, couvrez à demi pour laisser échapper la vapeur. On peut aussi ajouter des piments verts avec l'eau, car le piment ne permet pas la friture. On peut aussi cuire du riz de veau dans cette même sauce en retirant quelques morceaux de veau pour faire place et en les bassinant avec cette sauce qui les rend dorés. Les perdrix cuits de cette manière—c'est délicieux.— Faites revenir dans un roux quelques perdrix, ajoutez deux ou trois cuillerées de tomates, laissez tout mijoter une heure au petit feu. Assaisonnez au goût avec sel, poivre, persil."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in a conversational and narrative style, reflecting both the oral traditions of Creole cooks and the expectation that the reader possessed basic kitchen intuition—detailed timings, precise measurements, and temperatures are often absent or left to the cook’s judgment. Ingredient names and spellings follow late 19th-century French and Creole conventions. Some terms, such as 'canne' for a can, refer to packaging sizes standardized in the US by this period. The use of "roux" as a part of the process is assumed rather than explicated, as was typical for cooks sharing broad methods rather than strict formulas.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages (1903)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Célestine Eustis

Era

1903

Publisher

R.H. Russell

Background

Take a delicious journey back in time with this charming bilingual collection of Creole and American recipes, crafted for cozy households. Célestine Eustis blends French flair with Southern soul, guiding both the novice and seasoned gourmand through the distinct flavors and delightful traditions of old Creole kitchens.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from a 1903 bilingual Creole cookbook, 'La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages' by Célestine Eustis. Designed for small households, its pages capture snapshots of daily culinary life in New Orleans and other Creole communities at the turn of the 20th century. Creole cuisine then was a distinctive blend of French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences, showcasing local meats and garden vegetables, along with practical techniques for creating richness with simple means—like rendering lard, building sauces, and making liberal use of onions, tomatoes, and flour for flavor and body. The author often encouraged flexibility, suggesting substitutions as seasons and pantries allowed.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

A heavy iron skillet or sauté pan was a kitchen staple for such preparations, often placed over a wood or coal-burning stove. A sturdy kitchen knife and a wooden spoon were essential for chopping and stirring, and a metal or ceramic lid was used to partially cover the pan, regulating evaporation. In some Creole homes, lard would have been rendered at home, and meat cut to order by a local butcher. A simple measuring spoon or an experienced eye judged quantities. The simmering might take place at the back of the stove, where heat was gentler and more even.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb veal (preferably from the sirloin or other tender cut), cut into 1 1/4 inch squares, 3/8 inch thick
3/4 oz lard or diced pork fat (or substitute with unsalted butter or neutral oil if unavailable)
1 medium onion, finely sliced (about 3 1/2 oz)
1/3 cup chopped or crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
1/3 oz plain flour
1/3 oz unsalted butter
7 tbsp water (approximately)
Optional: 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
Optional: 9 oz veal sweetbreads (riz de veau) or 2-3 partridges (if using instead of veal)

Instructions

Begin by selecting 1 1/2 pounds of veal from the sirloin or another tender section.
Cut the meat into small squares, each about 1 1/4 inches on a side and 3/8 inch thick.
In a heavy skillet, heat a generous tablespoon (about 3/4 ounce) of diced lard or pork fat over high heat until very hot.
Fry the veal pieces until they are well browned on all sides.
Add a finely sliced medium onion and continnue frying until the onion takes on a rich golden color.
Stir in about 1/3 cup (a quarter of a standard 12-ounce can) of crushed or chopped tomatoes.
Season with salt, black pepper, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
Let everything cook gently together.
Sprinkle in a tablespoon (about 1/3 ounce) of flour, allowing it to brown lightly and form a roux with the fat already in the pan.
Add a small knob of butter (about 1/3 ounce) and then pour in a little water—just enough to moisten the sauce and prevent sticking, approximately 7 tablespoons.
Lower the heat, cover the pan partially to let some steam escape, and let the mixture simmmer gently for 30 minutes.
Optionally, add sliced green peppers with the water, avoiding their addition during the initial frying stage.
For a variation, you may remove some veal pieces and cook veal sweetbreads (riz de veau) in the sauce, or even substitute with partridges, browning them in the roux before simmering with tomatoes and seasoning, allowing to cook for about an hour on a gentle heat.

Estimated Calories

340 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the ingredients takes about 20 minutes, including cutting the veal and slicing onions. The actual cooking time is around 45 minutes—browning the meat and onions, making the sauce, and letting it simmer. Each serving will contain about 340 calories if you divide the recipe into 4 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.