Stuffed Breast Of Veal Recipe

Ingredients

For the Stuffing

½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce )
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 cups fresh mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced (about ¾ pound )
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 large eggs
1 cup kasha, preferably coarse-grind
1 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade, or good-quality, low-sodium purchased
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Method

Start the filling: put the porcini in a small heatproof bowl and add 1½ cups very hot water. Cover and set aside for about 45 minutes to soften. Drain the porcini through a strainer lined with paper towels or a coffee filter, reserving all the soaking liquid. Wash the porcini under cold running water to remove any remaining grit. Chop them coarsely and set aside.

While the porcini are soaking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until rich gold. Transfer the onions to a large bowl. Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons fresh oil, and place over high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they release some juice, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the garlic, soy sauce, and porcini, and continue sautéing, lifting and turning often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the mushrooms to the onions.

Make the kasha: in a medium bowl, beat 1 of the eggs with a fork. Stir in the kasha and mix until each grain is thoroughly coated. Heat the broth and reserved porcini soaking liquid to simmering. In a heavy lidded skillet with high sides or a wide heavy saucepan, toast the kasha over medium heat, turning and breaking up the kasha constantly until the egg begins to dry and the grains separate, about 3 minutes. Add the simmering liquid, salt and pepper to taste, cover, and cook over very low heat until tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Add the kasha to the mushrooms and onions. Stir in the parsley and the dill, taste, and adjust seasoning. Cool to room temperature. Beat the remaining egg, add to the stuffing, and combine well.

Prepare the veal: in a blender, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle, grind the garlic with the paprika, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste, until you have a rough puree. Set aside.

Trim the meat of gristle and as much fat as possible. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, 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 or trussing needle and strong cotton thread or kitchen twine work very well here. Skewering won't do the job—the stuffing is more likely to seep out into the pan gravy.)

In a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy flameproof casserole just large enough to hold the veal, heat 2 tablespoons of 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 pierce the meat. When it is nicely browned, transfer it to a platter. Wipe out the oil in the pan and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons fresh oil. Add the onions and carrots and sauté over medium-high heat until they begin to turn gold at the edges. Arrange the veal on top of the vegetables so that the fat side is up. Spread the garlic paste all over the top of the meat. Add the broth and bring to a slow bubble. Place the lid slightly askew, and braise at a slow simmer over very low heat for 2½ 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 garlic paste coating—it will add wonderful 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 ½-inch thick, making sure that the slices enclose some of the stuffing, and cloak with some of the juices. Serve the remaining sauce separately.