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)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1046 kcal
- Protein
- 74 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 69 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1150 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 26 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 34 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 294 mg
- Potassium
- 1614 mg
- Calcium
- 228 mg
- Iron
- 10.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 130 mg
- Phosphorus
- 814 mg
- Zinc
- 10.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 240 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 115 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.44 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 5.1 mg
- Folate
- 81 mcg
- Water
- 480 g
- Alcohol
- 4 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
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.
Troubleshooting
Stuffing leaks out of the veal pocket during roasting.
Cause: The opening was not sewn securely or the meat contracted significantly.
Fix: Secure the gap with metal skewers or toothpicks immediately.
Prevention: Use a tight cross-stitch pattern with kitchen string and do not overfill the pocket.
Cultural Context
Veal breast, particularly when stuffed, is a classic French dish often associated with celebratory meals and traditional Sunday dinners. The preparation emphasizes rich flavors and tender meat, showcasing the delicate nature of veal, a prized ingredient in French haute cuisine.
