Equipment
Ingredients
Veal and Stuffing
- 2270 g veal breast, with pocket for stuffing
- 10 g salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 3 g thyme, dried
- 2 bay leaf
- 6 g garlic, chopped
- 30 ml olive oil
- 80 g onion, finely chopped
- 225 g ground veal
- 225 g ground pork
- 100 g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 120 g spinach, cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 55 g breadcrumbs, fine, fresh
- 120 ml ricotta
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ g nutmeg, freshly grated
- ½ g red pepper flakes
Roasting Vegetables and Sauce
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 75 g carrot, thinly sliced
- 60 g celery, coarsely chopped
- 100 g onion, coarsely chopped
- 9 g parsley, sprigs
- 6 g thyme, sprigs
- 240 ml canned tomatoes
- 240 ml white wine
- 1 garlic, unpeeled
- 240 ml chicken broth
- 240 ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Season the interior and exterior of the veal breast with salt and black pepper.
Mince the dried thyme, bay leaves, and garlic together on a cutting board.
Heat 15ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the finely chopped onion until soft, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the ground veal and pork to the skillet, browning the meat while breaking it into small pieces with a spoon.
Incorporate the herb-garlic mixture and chopped mushrooms into the meat; cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the spinach to the skillet and stir until the leaves are completely wilted.
Stir in breadcrumbs, ricotta, beaten egg, nutmeg, salt, and red pepper flakes; remove from heat and allow the stuffing to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Fill the veal pocket with the cooled stuffing and sew the opening shut with kitchen string.
Coat a baking dish with vegetable oil, place the veal bone-side down, and rub the surface with the remaining 15ml of olive oil.
Roast the veal in the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 30 minutes.
Place sliced carrots, celery, and coarsely chopped onion around the meat and roast for another 30 minutes.
Tie the parsley, thyme sprigs, and remaining bay leaf into a bundle and add it to the baking dish.
Add tomatoes, white wine, and the unpeeled garlic clove to the dish; cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 175°C (350°F), remove the foil, baste the meat with juices, and bake for a final 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F).
Transfer veal to a platter; place the baking dish on the stovetop over medium-high heat, add broth and water, and boil while scraping the bottom to create a sauce.
Discard the herb bundle and garlic clove, remove the string from the veal, carve into slices, and serve with the vegetables and sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the veal breast has a well-formed pocket for stuffing. If not, you may need to butterfly it yourself, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- For a more evenly cooked stuffing, ensure the cooked meat and vegetable mixture is cooled completely before adding the breadcrumbs, ricotta, egg, and seasonings.
- Don't overcrowd the baking dish when roasting. Adequate space allows for better browning and even cooking of both the veal and the aromatic vegetables.
- When making the pan sauce, scraping the bottom of the dish (deglazing) is crucial for capturing all the flavorful browned bits (fond) left from roasting.
- Allow the veal to rest for at least 10-15 minutes after removing it from the oven before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and moist meat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 72 hours — Store in an airtight container with pan juices.
Freezer: 2 minutes — Texture of ricotta stuffing may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat slices in a 150°C (300°F) oven covered with foil and a splash of broth to maintain moisture.
