Herb-Stuffed Veal Breast

Serves 6

I love this technique for cooking veal breast, because it hits the meat with herbaceous flavor from within and from the outside. The boneless breast is spread with thyme, garlic, and cheese, which infuse the meat with flavor as it braises in a mixture of vegetables, vinegar, wine, and stock. Because it looks so impressive when sliced, this is one of those one-pot dishes that can be served at the most elegant of dinner parties.

 

4 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sugar

2 small boneless breasts of veal (about 2¹/₂ pounds each)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced, plus 10 cloves, smashed and peeled

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch plus 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 cup olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges

2 large carrots, peeled and cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces

1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 bay leaves

¹/₄ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 cup store-bought, reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth, or homemade Chicken Stock

 

1. About 30 minutes before you want to cook, put the tomatoes in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Season the inside of the veal breasts with salt, pepper, the sliced garlic cloves, the grated Parmesan, and a pinch of thyme leaves. Set the tomatoes and veal aside at room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

3. Roll the veal breasts up lengthwise and tie them at 2-inch intervals with kitchen string. Season the outside with salt and pepper.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the veal and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the veal and set aside.

5. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and smashed garlic cloves and cook, stirring, over medium heat until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

6. Add the wine and vinegar and stir to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, parsley, and remaining teaspoon thyme. Stir in the broth, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then return the veal to the pot. When the liquid returns to the boil, cover the pot, and transfer to the oven. Braise for about 90 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts reads 160°F.

7. Transfer the veal to a cutting board, snip off the strings, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and let rest while you finish the sauce.

8. Discard the bay leaf from the sauce. Let the sauce settle, then skim off any fat that rises to the surface.

9. To serve, slice the veal into ¹/₂-inch-thick slices and divide them among 6 warm dinner plates. Carefully remove the vegetables from the pot and arrange them around the veal. Spoon some sauce over and around the meat and vegetables and serve at once.

VARIATION

Mushroom and Spinach-Stuffed Veal Breast

Replace the Parmesan cheese and garlic with the mushroom and spinach filling from Andrew and Caitlin’s Soppressata Lasagna, Step 4.