Best Cold Stuffed Roast Of Veal Recipes

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STUFFED BREAST OF VEAL



Stuffed Breast of Veal image

This is a really old fashioned recipe that is really a Jewish eastern European dish. We serve this for holidays and on the Sabbath. It is really impressive looking and the taste is amazing. My family loves this. Once you get the hang of it it's really easy to make.

Provided by Michelle Berger

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Roast Recipes

Time 45m

Yield 15

Number Of Ingredients 16

¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
½ cup water, or as needed
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups cubed white bread
5 pounds veal breast
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the carrot, celery, and onion; cook and stir until the carrot begins to soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, and stir in the garlic and parsley; set aside.
  • Beat the eggs and water with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the bread cubes until they absorb the egg mixture, then fold in the cooked vegetables; set aside. Cut a deep pocket into the veal breast with a long, narrow knife. Stuff the veal with the bread and vegetable mixture, and season with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place onto a roasting pan, and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 3 1/2 hours, then remove the foil, baste with pan drippings, and continue cooking 30 minutes more. When done, tent with aluminum foil, and allow the veal breast to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 261.4 calories, Carbohydrate 14.7 g, Cholesterol 101.5 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 23.2 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 230.9 mg, Sugar 2.2 g

STUFFED BREAST OF VEAL



Stuffed Breast of Veal image

We used to put strips of salami, a sliced egg and pieces of Provolone cheese inside the veal. That would give it a really nice taste.

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h15m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 (5-pound) boned breast of veal with pocket
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sweet potato (8 ounces), peeled and diced
1 small white potato (4 ounces), peeled and diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 pound ground pork
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup grated Locatelli
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
Paprika, to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the veal and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Make the stuffing: In a saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the sweet potato, white potato, carrot, celery, and onion for 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. In a skillet set over moderate heat, cook the pork in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring, just until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add the blanched vegetables, the remaining oil, rice, cheese, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper to the pork and stir to combine well. Fill the pocket with stuffing and seal by sewing up or securing with toothpicks. Arrange the veal on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and season with paprika, salt and pepper. Add enough water to measure 1 inch in the pan and roast, covered with foil, for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and continue to roast, basting with pan juices, for 30 minutes more. Transfer the veal to a cutting board and let it stand, loosely covered, for 10 minutes before slicing.

STUFFED AND ROASTED BONE-IN VEAL BREAST



Stuffed and Roasted Bone-in Veal Breast image

Provided by Food Network

Time 4h10m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 6-pound veal breast
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
1 pound white bread, torn in 1-inch pieces
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup finely-minced parsley
6 cups chicken stock
Sweet paprika
Arrowroot or butter, to thicken (optional)

Steps:

  • Cut a pocket in veal breast, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Season pocket with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set aside veal to reach room temperature.
  • In a skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and saute until onion is tender and golden. In a bowl combine bread and eggs; add onion mixture, parsley and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Stuffing should be fairly wet; add a little more chicken stock if needed.
  • Using a long spoon, reach deep inside veal pocket to distribute stuffing evenly. Use a trussing needle and string to sew up pocket. Season roast on all sides with salt and pepper and liberally sprinkle top with paprika. Place in roasting pan, top side up, and roast 3 1/2 hours in all. Baste top with 1/2 cup chicken stock every 45 minutes.
  • Remove roast to a carving board and let sit, loosely covered, 15 minutes while you prepare sauce. Set roasting pan over medium-high heat and add remaining 3 cups chicken stock. Deglaze pan, scraping up browned bits and incorporating them into stock. Boil until stock reduces to 1 1/2 cups. If desired, thicken sauce with arrowroot or butter, or leave as is. Cut center portion of veal breast along chine bone separations into 6 servings. Spoon gravy over each portion.

STUFFED VEAL ROAST



Stuffed Veal Roast image

Provided by Susie Fishbein

Categories     Mushroom     Roast     Dinner     Veal     Spinach     Kosher     Kosher for Passover     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

5 medium white button mushrooms
1/2 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
10 ounces large pimiento-stuffed green olives
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 small lemon
1 (3-pound) veal roast, netted and tied
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons imitation mustard

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Place the mushrooms, the 1/2-box defrosted spinach, leaves from the rosemary sprigs, olives, orange zest, and lemon zest into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine to a paste.
  • Untie the roast. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing paste evenly over the surface of the veal, generously covering it.
  • Reroll the roast and tie it just tightly enough to secure; don't tie too tightly or the filling will all ooze out. The filling will be visible.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the veal roast and sear on all sides until the meat is a deep golden-brown. Place the seared roast into a roasting pan.
  • In a small bowl, mix the honey, apricot preserves, and mustard. Rub all the meat surfaces with a thick coating of the apricot-honey mixture, reserving some mixture. Bake for 1 hour, covered. Remove the roast from the oven and baste with remaining apricot-honey mixture. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 15 more minutes. Allow the roast to stand for 10 minutes before slicing. The roast should be juicy and slightly pink in the center.

PROVENçAL ROASTED GARLIC-BRAISED BREAST OF VEAL WITH SPRINGTIME STUFFING



Provençal Roasted Garlic-Braised Breast of Veal with Springtime Stuffing image

Roasted garlic, chard, spinach, and either rice or potatoes infuse this Passover main course with unbelievable flavor.

Provided by Jayne Cohen

Categories     Passover     Kosher for Passover     Potato     Rice     Veal     Spinach     Chard     Spring     Garlic     Dinner     Braise

Yield 6-8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Salt
1 large bunch of Swiss chard (about 1 1/2 pounds), washed, white stems removed and reserved for another purpose, green leaves coarsely chopped (5 to 6 cups tightly packed)
1 large bunch of spinach (about 1 pound), washed, coarse stems discarded, and leaves coarsely chopped (about 5 cups tightly packed), or one 10-ounce package frozen leaf spinach, thawed
4 large garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 tablespoons), plus 1 whole large head, unpeeled
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 very large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup medium- or short-grain rice, preferably arborio (medium- or short-grain is called for because you want a creamy texture, like a risotto; long-grain rice will give you fluffy, separate grains.)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade, or good-quality, low-sodium purchased
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
Juice and grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
1 large egg, beaten
1 (5- to 6-pound) veal breast
1 cup sauvignon blanc or other dry white wine

Steps:

  • Prepare the stuffing:
  • Bring a large pot full of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the chard and spinach, bring the water back to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until thoroughly wilted. Drain and squeeze out as much moisture as possible, pressing the greens against a colander with a wooden spoon. Or for a more thorough job, use your hands when the greens have cooled somewhat. Finely chop, either by hand or by pulsing in a food processor.
  • In a large skillet, sauté the minced garlic in 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat until pale gold, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chard and spinach. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until the liquid is evaporated and the garlic is thoroughly distributed, 5 to 7 minutes. The greens should be very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Sauté the onion in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat in 3 tablespoons of the oil until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with the onions. In another saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Add the broth to the rice a few spoonfuls at a time, as if making risotto. Keep the heat medium-low, and stir, waiting until the broth is nearly absorbed before adding another spoonful. Cook the rice until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes in all. If you finish adding the broth and the rice is not yet tender, add a tablespoon or two of hot water, as needed. Season the rice with salt and pepper (taking in to account the saltiness of the broth you are using), add it to the chard and spinach, and set aside to cool.
  • Prepare the garlic head:
  • Break the head into single cloves and put them, unpeeled, into a small baking dish in which they fit snugly (I use a 5-inch-square porcelain ramekin). Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the oil and 1 teaspoon of the thyme. Cover tightly (use foil if you don't have a lid), and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until a soft puree is formed when you squeeze a clove. Avoid overcooking, which turns the garlic bitter. Squeeze the puree out by hand or run the unpeeled cloves through a food mill to trap the peels. Put the roasted garlic puree in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the rosemary and the lemon juice. Stir well and set aside. Turn off the oven-you will be pan-braising the meat.
  • While the garlic is roasting, finish the stuffing:
  • In a food processor, pulse the remaining 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme, the parsley, mint, and lemon zest until finely chopped. Add to the rice mixture. Stir in the egg until well combined.
  • Trim the veal of gristle and as much fat as possible. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over, including the inside pocket. Fill the pocket with the stuffing, pushing the mixture as far in as possible, but don't overfill-it will expand somewhat while cooking. Sew the pocket closed. (A large embroidery needle and strong cotton thread or unwaxed dental floss work very well here. Or use a trussing needle and kitchen twine. I find skewering not as successful here-the stuffing is more likely to ooze out into the pan gravy.)
  • In a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy casserole just large enough to accommodate the veal, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the veal and brown it slowly on all sides, turning carefully with wooden spoons so you don't piece the meat. When it is thoroughly browned, arrange the meat so that the fat side is up. Spread the roasted garlic mixtue all over the top. Add the wine and bring to a slow bubble. Place the lid slightly askew, and braise at a slow simmer over very low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or longer, if necessary, until the meat is very tender. Use a flame tamer (blech) or stack two stove burner grates , if you must to keep the flame very low. Every 20 minutes or so, baste with the pan juices. If possible, turn the meat a few times; don't worry about losing the roasted garlic coating on top-it will add delicious flavor to the cooking juices.
  • Transfer the veal to a platter, and let it stand for 10 minutes, tented with foil to keep warm. Boil up the cooking juices for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors, taste for seasoning, then transfer to a sauce boat.
  • Slice the veal about 1/2-inch thick, making sure that the slices enclose some of the filling. Nap with some of the juices. Pass remaining sauce separately.
  • Ashkenazi Mashed Potato Stuffing Variation:
  • Don't pass by this fabulous veal because your family refrains from eating rice on Passover. When my agent Elise Goodman wanted to prepare it for her seder, we came up with a wonderful alternative mashed potato stuffing.
  • Prepare the stuffing according to the directions above, omitting rice and broth. Sauté the onion until rice gold and set aside. Simmer 3 1/2 cups russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed, in cold, salted water to cover, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes until smooth. Stir in the reserved sautéed onion (along with any oil remaining in the pan), and 1 additional tablespoon olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the potato mixture to the chard and spinach, set aside to cool, and continue with the recipe.

PROVENçAL VEAL BREAST STUFFED WITH SWISS CHARD



Provençal Veal Breast Stuffed With Swiss Chard image

This Passover holiday recipe, an ancient jewel of Jewish Provençal cooking, feels modern with our new love of Swiss chard. It is traditional to use a whole veal breast with all the bones, but that makes for a giant roast by today's standards. For this simplified but magnificent version, have a butcher trim, butterfly and remove the bones -- and save them to cook beside the meat, where they will add flavor and texture to the braise. The dish tastes best cooked a day ahead to allow the flavors to blend.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories     dinner, roasts, main course

Time 3h30m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions; 2 diced, 1 cut into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon) plus 2 cloves, unpeeled
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped (1 teaspoon chopped)
2 pounds Swiss chard (2 to 3 bunches), leaves and stems chopped
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 square matzo, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
1 boneless breast of veal, about 4 pounds, trimmed, butterflied, bones reserved (a butcher can do this, or order it for you); see note
1/2 cup Côtes du Rhône or other dry red wine
3 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and then cut on the diagonal in 1-inch slices

Steps:

  • Make the filling: In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions, season with salt and pepper and sauté until softened. Mix in the chopped garlic, thyme and rosemary. A few handfuls at a time, stir in the chard and, using tongs to toss, cook with the onion mixture until all the greens are soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer chard mixture to a large bowl. Stir in tomatoes, egg and matzo pieces, mixing well. You will have at least 5 cups cooked filling.
  • Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay the meat flat on a clean work surface, season the top with salt and pepper and spread a thin layer of the filling (about half) evenly over the surface of the meat, leaving a 1-inch border. Reserve and refrigerate the remaining stuffing. Tightly roll the meat and secure it with kitchen twine, making a knot every 1 1/2 inches and tucking the meat in to enclose the ends. Season the outside of the roll with salt and pepper.
  • Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet, turn the heat to medium-high and brown the stuffed veal on all sides. Transfer to a large roasting pan with a lid. (If your skillet isn't large enough, brown veal directly in the roasting pan, laid over 2 burners of your stovetop.) To the pan where you browned the meat, add wine and simmer for about a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Spoon liquid over the meat. Scatter the carrots, large onion pieces and whole garlic cloves around the veal, place the bones, and pour in about 8 cups of water or enough to come halfway up the meat.
  • Reduce oven to 325 degrees and cook, covered, 2 1/2 hours, basting every 20 minutes or so, until veal is cooked through and tender, 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.
  • Remove the meat from the pan, set aside to cool, then refrigerate overnight. Strain the sauce, reserving the carrots and discarding the bones and the onions. Refrigerate sauce and carrots.
  • The next day (or when ready to serve), remove and discard the fat from the sauce and simmer sauce in a small pot until reduced by 1/3. Season with salt and pepper. Using a long sharp knife, slice the veal into 1-inch portions. (Pull out kitchen twine as necessary). Carefully transfer slices to a large ovenproof serving dish or roasting pan, scatter the reserved stuffing around the veal and pour the braising liquid and carrots over the top. (You can refrigerate the whole dish at this point, to be reheated just before serving, or proceed to reheat the meat now.)
  • Just before serving, reheat in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, about 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve in individual portions or on a platter, with a little chard stuffing and carrots on top of each slice for color, and drizzled with some of the braising liquid.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 543, UnsaturatedFat 22 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 36 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 36 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 1001 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams

STUFFED ROAST VEAL BREAST



Stuffed Roast Veal Breast image

Provided by Jacques Pepin

Categories     dinner, roasts, main course

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 1/2 cups coarse stale bread crumbs, preferably from a crusty country loaf
1 pound sweet Italian sausage meat
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 3 1/2- to 4- pound veal breast (4 to 5 ribs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup water
2 pounds medium-size potatoes (about 6), peeled and halved lengthwise

Steps:

  • In a bowl, mix together the stuffing ingredients.
  • Put the veal breast meat side up on a flat surface. Using a sharp, thin knife, slice along the widest side of the breast, as close to the bones as possible, to create a deep pocket. Push the stuffing into the cavity and press on it to distribute it evenly over the bones. Tie the open end shut with soft kitchen string, wrapping it twice to secure the stuffing inside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large casserole. Sprinkle the meat all over with salt, and when the oil is hot, brown the meat for a total of 30 minutes over medium heat, turning occasionally so it is uniformly brown. Add the sliced onion and water; cover, reduce heat to very low and cook 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the meat to a platter. In the remaining juices (about 1 1/2 cups), arrange the potatoes in one layer. Put the roast on top, meat side up, and cook, uncovered, in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the meat is nicely browned on top and the potatoes are cooked through.
  • At this point, the roast is cooked enough so the ribs can be twisted and pulled away from the meat. Slice the meat, following the shape of the ribs and slicing right through the cartilage bones. Serve each person one slice with potatoes and pan juices.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1006, UnsaturatedFat 36 grams, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 64 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 67 grams, SaturatedFat 23 grams, Sodium 1246 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams

MATZO-STUFFED BREAST OF VEAL



Matzo-Stuffed Breast of Veal image

Categories     Beef     Egg     Garlic     Onion     Braise     Stuffing/Dressing     Veal     Winter     Thyme     Gourmet

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

For stuffing
2 medium onions, chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 (6- by 6-inch) matzos, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For veal
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) boneless veal breast (1 1/2 inches thick)
1 small onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons paprika (preferably sweet Hungarian)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/2 cups water
Special Equipment
a carpet, darning, or upholstery needle; kitchen string

Steps:

  • Make stuffing:
  • Cook onions, carrots, and celery in oil in a wide 3 1/2- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • While vegetables are cooking, put matzos in a colander and run under hot water until softened.
  • Remove pot from heat and transfer half of vegetables to a bowl. Cool vegetables in bowl 5 minutes, then stir in matzos, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper.
  • Prepare veal while stuffing cools:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Trim as much excess fat as possible from veal. Cut a large pocket in veal breast: Beginning at center of thickest side, insert a large knife horizontally and cut into center of veal as evenly as possible, leaving a 1-inch border on 3 sides.
  • Purée onion, garlic, oil, paprika, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Put veal breast on a cutting board and rub inside of pocket with 2 tablespoons purée. Fill pocket loosely with matzo stuffing, leaving a 1-inch border on cut side. Sew pocket closed with carpet needle and kitchen string.
  • Pat veal dry and rub both sides with remaining purée. Put thyme sprigs over vegetables remaining in pot, then top with veal. Add water and bring to a boil.
  • Cover pot with lid and braise in middle of oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Transfer veal with a wide metal spatula to a clean cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 30 minutes.
  • Discard thyme sprigs and skim any fat from sauce. Discard string, then cut veal across the grain into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce.

ROAST STUFFED BREAST OF VEAL



Roast Stuffed Breast of Veal image

This recipe will seem long to you, but read it through once or twice and it will become very clear that all we are doing is stuffing a piece of meat, roasting it, and making gravy to serve it with. That's something I'm sure you have done any number of times-only in this case it is a breast of veal, which will yield delicious results. Breast of veal-bone-in breast specifically-is another wonderful meat cut that I hope you come to love as much as I do. Like the preceding shoulder cuts, it has a good deal of connective tissue, bones, and cartilage, which contribute to the flavor and texture of the meat, especially during long cooking. Because it comes from young animals, the ribs in the breast are just developing: there's lots of soft cartilage, and you can just pull out the ribs after cooking, so serving and slicing are convenient. Stuffing the breast is the fun part. The muscle layers easily separate and hold a generous amount of savory filling; then, when it's cooked and sliced, the cross sections of meat and stuffing make a beautiful presentation. It looks like an eye, with the meat as the lids. If you've tried any of the other roasts in this chapter, the procedure here will be familiar: covered roasting for tenderness and flavor, dry roasting for deep color and crisp textures-and developing a great sauce at the same time. The only difficulty you may find with this recipe is getting a nice big piece of veal breast, preferably the tip cut. It's not always easy for me either, as you'll understand when you read the box and study the technique photos here and on page 357\. But if we all keep asking our butchers for veal-breast tip cuts, they'll get the message-we want those excellent, traditional cuts of meat, and we want to stuff them ourselves!

Number Of Ingredients 35

3 cups country bread, day old or slightly dried, crusts removed, cut in 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup milk
1/2 pound mortadella (or ham), cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium-large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 big prunes, pitted, chopped into 1/3-inch pieces
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
3 1/2-to-5-pound veal breast, bone-in (see below)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or crystal kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium to large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 plump garlic cloves, peeled
8 large pitted prunes, whole
1 packed tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
6 whole cloves
1/4 cup dried porcini slices, crumbled or chopped into small pieces
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or crystal kosher salt, or more to taste, or none
1 cup white wine
2 cups or more Turkey Broth (page 80), Simple Vegetable Broth (page 288), or water
A food processor
Kitchen twine, for tying the stuffed breast
A heavy-duty roasting pan, preferably 17 by 20 inches, or as large as possible
Wide heavy-duty aluminum foil
A medium saucepan, a sturdy sieve, and a potato masher, to make the sauce

Steps:

  • Put the bread cubes in a small bowl and pour the milk over them; toss together, and let the bread soak up the milk, tossing the cubes every few minutes so they moisten evenly.
  • Meanwhile, put the mortadella, onion, carrot, and celery pieces in the food processor, fitted with the steel blade, and chop them together into fine bits, processing continuously for about 1/2 minute; scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process briefly until everything is a pastelike mix.
  • Pour the olive oil into a 10- or 12-inch skillet, and set over medium-high heat; scrape in the chopped stuffing and spread it in the pan. As it starts to sizzle, lower the heat considerably, stir, and sauté gently for 3 or 4 minutes to bring out the flavors-don't let the stuffing get crusty or colored.
  • Squeeze the bread cubes firmly by handfuls to get out excess milk, and scatter them over the stuffing. Still cooking over low heat, break up the bread clumps with a spoon or spatula, and stir to incorporate completely. Mix in the chopped prunes, and cook them with the stuffing for a minute or so. Take the pan off the heat and scrape the stuffing into a bowl.
  • Let the stuffing cool, then stir in the pine nuts, grated cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and the beaten egg, mixing thoroughly.
  • At this time, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400°.
  • As I explain in the box (page 359), and as you can see in the photos, your stuffing method will vary with the size and cut of veal breast (and your own preferences). Follow these general steps to prepare the breast: Rinse and dry it thoroughly. Check the breast for pockets of fat and remove. There is often a clump of fat on the bony side, where you will see a flap of meat partially covering the ribs. Lift this flap, and cut away the fat hidden inside. Do not remove the skin on the bottom-either from the ribs or the meat flap-as it helps hold the breast together.
  • This flap of meat, under the ribs, is the one I use to wrap around the stuffed breast in the photos. Cut it off, shave off the silver skin from both sides, then pound it with a meat hammer or tenderizer until it is paper-thin, like carpaccio. And there's your wrapper!
  • To stuff: Follow the method shown in the photos, first cutting a pocket in the meaty layers on top of the ribs, then filling it with your stuffing. Enclose the breast and exposed stuffing with the pounded veal flap (or use bacon strips or prosciutto slices), and tie securely with kitchen twine.
  • If you have a whole veal-breast tip cut, you need only slice open the pocket on the wide side down to the tip and push the stuffing in toward the closed tip. Then tie the roast closed.
  • Put the tied breast in the roasting pan and sprinkle the salt all over, patting the crystals into the meat. Pour on the olive oil and rub it all over. Set the breast, rib side down, in the center of the pan.
  • Put all the chopped vegetables, the prunes, and the seasonings (except the salt) in a big bowl, and toss with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. If your broth is unsalted, add 1 teaspoon salt to the vegetables-use less salt or no salt if your broth is salted already. Scatter the vegetables and seasonings around the veal in the pan. Pour in the white wine and 2 cups or more broth or water, so the cooking liquid is about 1/2 inch deep in the pan.
  • Cover the pan with one or more long sheets of aluminum foil, arching the foil if necessary to keep it from touching the meat and vegetables. Crimp the foil around the rim of the pan, and press it tightly against the sides all around, sealing the veal and vegetables in a tent.
  • Set the pan in the oven and roast for an hour, then bring the roasting pan up front and carefully remove the foil. The veal should be lightly browned and the juices bubbling. Baste with the juices, turn the vegetables over, and push the pan back into the oven.
  • Roast for another hour or so, uncovered, basting every 20 minutes and rotating the pan back to front for even cooking. The top of the veal breast should be brown and crusty, the vegetables lightly browned as well, and the liquid considerably reduced. Remove from the oven.
  • Lift out the veal breast with a large spatula, or by holding it with towels, and rest it on a platter while you start the sauce.
  • With a potato masher, crush the cooked vegetables in the juices, breaking them up into little bits. Set the sieve over the saucepan, and pour everything from the pan through it, pressing the solids against the sieve with a big spoon to release their liquid, then discard the remains. Let the juices rest, and when the fat rises to the top, skim it off. (Putting the pan in a bowl of ice water will help the fat to congeal, if you are in a hurry.) Set the saucepan over high heat, bring the juices to a boil, and reduce them, uncovered, until they've thickened to a syrupy sauce.
  • Meanwhile, return the veal to the roasting pan and pour any accumulated juices into the saucepan. Baste the veal one more time with hot juices, and put it back in the oven to roast for 30 minutes more, until it is dark and crusty on top and the sides are browned as well.
  • To make sure the stuffing is cooked too, insert an instant-read thermometer into the stuffing layer. At 160°, it is ready.
  • Remove the veal from the oven, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • Cut away the kitchen twine. Remove the ribs, loosening them with a knife, and pulling them out one at a time while holding the roast steady.
  • Slice crosswise into thick slices with a sharp, serrated knife. Lay the slices on a warm platter, showing off the stuffing layer, and moisten with the sauce. Pass more sauce at the table.
  • *Cut them in small pieces, as listed, for sauce. To serve roast vegetables, cut them as described on page 344.
  • This stuffing is excellent for turkey and chicken.
  • The meat business has changed in my lifetime. Most retail butchers don't get meat in large quarters and "primal" cuts that they skillfully divide any way we ask. Supermarket meat departments, I've found, only get pre-cut sections of the most popular meats, which require minimal cutting before they go out in the case.
  • Unfortunately, the ideal veal breast for this recipe is not an item much in demand. It may take dedicated searching to find a butcher in your area who can fabricate the perfect piece: a 5-pound bone-in breast cut, from the tip. That's the very end of the breast, farthest from the front leg, and it has two advantages: lots of cartilage, which adds flavor and richness, and a naturally closed pocket at the tip, which makes stuffing easy.
  • On the day we tested this recipe and took these photos, I couldn't get a breast tip anywhere. The piece shown here (which came from a Manhattan supermarket) is only 3 1/2 pounds and cut from the middle, not the closed end of the breast. As you can see, the pocket that I cut for the stuffing is open on both ends.
  • I wondered, though, how would I keep the stuffing in? My first idea was to wrap bacon or prosciutto slices around the openings and tie them in place. But we didn't have any in the kitchen that day-and there was no time for shopping. So I did something quite acceptable in cooking-I improvised. I took a flap of veal meat that is hidden under the ribs, next to the cutting board in the photos. I trimmed and pounded it and made a sheet that covered the holes neatly. Tied in place, the patch worked fine. No stuffing was lost, and we enjoyed our roast and delicious sauce for lunch and supper too.
  • One of the important-and challenging-lessons in cooking is that we cooks learn to make do with what we have.

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