Now this is a cut that I've seen around, but never really tried yet :3

And THANK HEAVEN today was a day that I could actually cook something, which was by far the best present a guy can get
(you know, without someone over your shoulder and being a complete d-head at the same time!)!

Anyways, this is a recipe that comes from Anne Burrell - dont knock her folks, because this is very good!

Stuffed Braised Veal Breast

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
3 hr 20 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For stuffing:

Extra-virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic, 4 whole and 3 smashed and finely chopped
Crushed red pepper
1 ½ pounds fresh baby spinach (one package)
Kosher salt
2 pounds assorted mushrooms, sliced thin, such as shiitake, cremini and oyster work well (used baby bellas, and NOT two pounds worth XD)
½ cup grated Parmigiano + ½ cup breadcrumbs

For the meat:

One 3 to 4-pound veal breast
5 to 8 slices prosciutto
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked and finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 fresh thyme bundle

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a large straight-sided saute pan with olive oil. Smash 2 of the whole garlic cloves with the heel of your hand and toss them into the pan with a pinch of crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. When the garlic is golden brown and very aromatic, remove it from the pan and discard it, it has fulfilled its garlic destiny.

- Here, I disagree. I did NOT throw out the garlic.

Add the spinach to the pan, stir to coat the oil and season with salt. Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid from the pan and stir the spinach, it should be wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Transfer the spinach to a mesh strainer to let any excess water drain out.

Return the pan to the burner and coat the pan with olive oil and add in 2 more garlic cloves that have been smashed with the heel of your hand. Repeat the process of cooking the garlic to golden brown and discarding. Toss in a pinch of crushed red pepper and the sliced mushrooms. Season the mushrooms with salt and cook until they are soft and wilted, add a little more oil if they are a little dry. Taste the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Squeeze out any excess liquid from the wilted spinach and coarsely chop. Add to the mushrooms, toss in the Parmigiano and stir to combine. Taste to make sure it is delicious. Reserve.

- Rather HERE, I sauteed it, and then added the spinach, the mushrooms.
Once thats sauteed, I also added a bit more chopped up prosciutto, plus the 1/2 cup parmesan and the 1/2 cup bread crumbs. And yes, it IS delicious on its own, trust me :P

Lay the meat out and gently pound to flatten. Sprinkle generously with salt. Lay the prosciutto slices down the middle of the veal. Lay a log of the spinach and mushroom mixture down the middle of the prosciutto. Roll the veal around the prosciutto and tie the veal with butcher's twine.

Now this I did not do, because mine came with a pocket already put in it.
So once the stuffing was cooled a bit, I put that into the pocket.

Coat a Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Add the veal roll and brown on all sides. Remove the veal from the pan and reserve.

Ditch any excess fat and add a few drops of new oil. Add the onions to the pan, stir to coat with the oil and season with salt. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions, covered, for 7 to 8 minutes.

Uncover the onions, they should be very soft and wilted. Add the chopped garlic and rosemary and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by half.

Return the veal to the pan and add chicken stock until it comes about halfway up the sides of the veal. Toss in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Cover and place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

Remove the veal from the oven, turn over and add more stock if the liquid has reduced. Taste the braising liquid if the liquid level has reduced significantly.

Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and braise for another 45 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce.

Remove the veal from the oven, remove from the pan, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Place the Dutch oven on a burner over medium heat to reduce the braising liquid if it is too soupy. Taste the liquid to make sure the seasoning is correct.

Slice the veal into medallions and serve with the braising liquid and onions.

Now -she says to cook this for three hours - but considering the size of my veal breast, that wasnt really necessary, and especially at the heat that it was up on as well. If it was a BIGGER cut, then I would agree.

So for a small cut like this, I really only needed two hours, plus maybe 5 minutes or so to let it rest. Serve with the sauce (not pictured) or with the extra stuffing (not pictured as well, will post up next) and enjoy :)

Whats more, veal breast itself is a very cheap cut...about 8 bucks for this size, and this would feed at least three...or one hungry pangolin *burp*

It -DOES- need that cooking time to be covered, then you can just flip it over with a pair of tongs on the second hour, then let it go uncovered for the juices to cook down. And if it looks too dry at the top, just baste it every 15 minutes or so with the juices and stock that its cooking in.

So good folks, sincerely :)