Fillets In Aromatic Crust With Broad Beans, Peas And Artichokes

Preparation:

Preparation: The veal slices must be 1.5 cm thick. Clean both broad beans and peas from their pods. Since the broad beans must have their outer skin removed, blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain and put them in a bowl filled with cold water; in this way the operation of removing their skin is very easy. In a separate pot, blanch the peas as well. Clean the artichokes, divide them into 4 parts and, if prepared in advance, soak them in a bowl of water acidulated with lemon juice. Before using them, divide the artichokes into slices. In a large frying pan, prepare a base with some oil and half a chopped shallot and add the artichokes. After a couple of minutes add the peas and broad beans and cook adding a pinch of salt and trying to keep the vegetables crunchy, preferably without adding water but turning them often with a wooden spoon. While cooking the vegetables, also help yourself with a lid. Take the fillet slices and tie them with string so that they keep their medallion shape well. Flour the meat and brown it well in a pan in a very light base of oil, also adding salt and pepper; the slices must be sealed on both sides and also along the edges (for this, keep them upright with the help of two forks). In the meantime, blend the breadcrumbs in a small mixer and set aside. Still with the mixer, also chop the chopped half shallot and the mixture of aromatic herbs. Combine the lard in the mixer and chop again to obtain a sort of cream. Arrange the fillet slices in a baking tray, remove the string, spread them with the lard cream and finally sprinkle them with the chopped breadcrumbs. Bake the meat at 200 degrees for about 12 minutes. Serve the fillet together with the vegetables. Notes: a pinch of coarse salt must be added to the water used to blanch the peas and pods as it helps to preserve their beautiful green colour; for the preparation of rice and peas it is essential to use the broth in which the emptied pods of the peas have been boiled together with a little onion and parsley stalks; before using it, this broth is then blended and sieved; the vegetables prepared are very similar to the so-called vignarola; with prepared vegetables you can also cook eggs and in this way constitute an excellent dish to be eaten for example in the evening; obviously the eggs must be added when the vegetables are almost cooked.