Veal Breast Niçoise Stuffed with Sweet Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Olives

I think of stuffed veal breast as panache without price because it makes an impressive picture on the platter yet it's quite inexpensive, especially as veal goes. You probably have to order the breast from the butcher; as long as you're at it, have the butcher open the pocket. Fill it with the sausage, which you can purchase if mixing your own is one too many steps to do, set it in the pressure cooker with the usual aromatic seasonings and steam away.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings as an entrée, or 12 to 15 servings as a buffet or picnic dish

 

1½	pounds Sweet Italian Sausage ([>])
2	cups chopped fresh spinach leaves, washed, drained, and wilted for 5 minutes in the microwave or on the stove top
¼	cup chopped pitted black olives, preferably Niçoise or mild oil-cured olives
1	veal breast (about 2½ pounds) meat section separated away from bones (see Note [>])
2	tablespoons olive oil
1	small carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1	small yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped
2	ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2	cups dry white wine
2	cups water
	Dijon mustard, for serving
	French bread, for serving

1. Mix together the sausage, spinach, and olives in a medium-size bowl.
2. Spread the sausage mixture between the bones and meat flap of the veal breast. Enclose the stuffing by stretching the flap over the bones and secure with a needle and thread or skewers, as you would to truss a turkey to hold in the dressing. Wrap a length of kitchen string across and around the breast, like tying a package, to further truss it and also to make a handle for lifting the meat out of the pressure cooker.
3. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over high heat until beginning to smoke. Set the stuffed breast in the pot, meat side down, and brown for 2 minutes. Without turning it over, add the carrot, onion, celery, wine, and water. Lock on the lid and bring to pressure over high heat, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 50 minutes, taking care to make adjustments along the way, if necessary, to keep the pressure up but not so high that there will be spillover. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
4. With the steam vent pointed away from your face, gently release any remaining pressure and let sit for 10 minutes more with the lid ajar.
5. If serving warm, transfer the breast to a platter. Discard the vegetables and juices. Remove the string or skewers from the breast and slice into "chops." Arrange the chops on a serving platter.
   If serving chilled, let the breast cool in the cooking liquid, then store in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, slice into chops and arrange on a platter. Serve with Dijon mustard and French bread.

 

Note: It's not difficult to open the pocket yourself with a boning or curved paring knife. Insert the knife into the large end of the breast close to the bones. Work the knife along the bones almost, but not quite, to the other end.

Sweet Italian Sausage

The "sweet" in sweet Italian sausage refers to the fennel seeds. Adding spinach and olives makes it Niçoise. Italian or Niçoise, it's a sausage you can use in many a dish or form into patties and fry or grill on their own.

 

Makes 1½ pounds

 

1½	pounds ground pork
1	large clove garlic, minced
1	tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2	teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or ¾ teaspoon dried
1	teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
1	teaspoon fennel seeds
⅛	teaspoon cayenne
¼	teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1	teaspoon salt
⅓	cup dry white wine

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl and mix with your hands until well blended. Use right away or, preferably, cover and set aside in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to blend.

 

Two Meat Loaves

Meat loaf in the pressure cooker makes sense. Of whatever nationality, a meat loaf needs moist heat, but not too much, which the pressure cooker provides. It needs even, all around cooking, which the pressure cooker provides. It needs gentle cooking so it melts into succulence without becoming desiccated, which the pressure cooker provides. Just don't expect a grand 3-pound loaf to set in the middle of the table for a warm main course or to make wide slices for a picnic presentation. You'll have to settle instead for two smaller, narrower ones, unless, of course, a manufacturer comes out with a pressure cooker of twice the diameter. In the meantime, you can also settle for a round loaf cooked in a 1-quart soufflé dish. It looks larger than the smaller, 1½-pound rectangular loaves even though, ounce for ounce, it's not much more.