BRAISED VEAL FILLETS WITH ONION SAUCE
Serves 6

1 lb onions finely diced
1 pint half and half
6 tb butter
4 tb flour
salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 cup beef stock
1 cup Port
12 21/2 oz veal tenderloin fillets
12 bacon strips
1 cup flour mixed with salt and ground pepper
3 tb vegetable oil
1/4 cup Port
6 small bunches red grapes (seedless ) for garnish.

Combine onions and half and half in saucepan, bring almost to boil, lower heat and poach the onions 5 minutes. Transfer to processor and process. Heat 4 tb butter in other saucepan, add flour, cook in moderate heat, whisking for 3 minutes. Add onion mix, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat remaining butter in saucepan, add brown sugar, stir and cook over moderate heat until sugar caramelizes. Add shallots, stock and wine, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Keep wine sauce warm. Preheat oven to 400 F.

Wrap the fillets in bacon, secure with toothpicks, dredge lightly in seasoned flour. Heat oil in large skillet, add fillets and fry till bacon is crisped. Transfer fillets to large casserole, remove toothpicks, and pour grease from skillet. Deglazé skillet with 1/4 cup Port Wine, add the wine sauce, stir and pour the mixture over the fillets. Place casserole in the oven and braise the fillets for 10 minutes. Pour the onion sauce in each of serving dishes, place 2 fillets on top of sauce, top fillets with wine sauce. Garnish with the grapes.

The first time I cooked this dish I was worried but now I am comfortable with it. The gentlemen prefer the French purist version and I will oblige, but there are simpler and less rich versions for the same dish. I had used chicken breasts, instead of the veal, I had omitted the bacon (but the taste never will be the same), of course I use diet margarine with reduced fat and for the white sauce I use water and fat free evaporated milk. Not the same, but very good!

GLAZED CARROTS AND TURNIPS

1 lb baby carrots, peeled and halved
1 lb baby turnips, peeled and halved
4 tb butter
1 tb sugar
salt and pepper

Boil the carrots and turnips in a large pot of lightly salted water until al dente. Drain. Melt the butter in frying pan, add vegetables and sauté to coat with butter. Lower the heat, sprinkle in the sugar and sauté until it coats the vegetables and begins to brown. Season with salt and pepper and serve.