Chow Mein

This is old-school American-Chinese cooking at its coziest. Browned veal cubes get baked in a casserole with tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of brown sugar that creates a sweet-savory sauce with real depth.

The casserole method is what sets this apart from a typical stir-fry. An hour in the oven lets the veal turn tender while the celery and onions soften into the sauce. Bean sprouts go in at the very end so they keep their snap and don’t turn mushy.

Served over crispy chow mein noodles, you get that satisfying contrast of crunchy noodles soaking up warm, saucy meat. It’s the kind of dish that showed up at church potlucks and family suppers across the Midwest for decades.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the veal into even ½-inch squares so they cook at the same rate in the casserole.
• Brown the veal in batches if your pan is small. Overcrowding prevents browning and steams the meat instead.
• Add the bean sprouts just long enough to heat through. They should still have crunch when you serve.
• A dash of hot sauce goes a long way. Start small and taste before adding more.

Variations

• Swap veal for chicken breast or pork tenderloin cut into cubes.
• Use fresh bean sprouts and sliced water chestnuts for extra crunch.
• Replace tomato soup with cream of mushroom for a different sauce base entirely.