2863. VEAL ROLLS with BACON and GROUND BEEF

serves six


6 slices of veal breast or rump roast
9 oz. ground beef
1 thick slice of bacon
6 sprigs fresh parsley
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
salt

Season the veal slices with a little salt on both sides, then divide the ground beef among the slices, placing it on top and pressing it down gently. Cut the bacon into 6 strips. Put a strip of bacon and a parsley sprig in the middle of each slice. Roll up each slice of veal and tie it with fine kitchen string. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the veal rolls and cook, turning frequently, until browned all over. Remove from the pan, drain, and set aside. Add onion to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until beginning to brown. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the wine, a little at a time, then stir in 3/4 cup water. Add the bay leaf, return the veal rolls to the pan, and add 3/4 cup water to cover them. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Lift the veal rolls out of the pan, remove and discard the string, and place the rolls on a warm serving dish. Remove the bay leaf. Pass sauce through a food mill or process in a food processor, then pour over the meat.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 1080 Recipes by Simone and Inés Ortega; New York: Phaidon Press Limited, 2007; page 606.

2650. VEAL BRISKET with BACON and ONION

makes four or more servings


1 oz. dried mushrooms, preferably porcini
1/4 pound cubed bacon
One 2- to 3-pound boneless veal breast
1 1/2 chopped onions (or about 15 pearl onions)
1/2 cup red wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Reconstitute the mushrooms by covering them with very hot water.

In a 12-inch skillet, render the bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat under the skillet to medium-high and let the pan sit for a minute. Add the veal and brown it on both sides, turning once, for a total of about 6 minutes.

Remove the veal and cook the onion in the fat over medium heat until nicely browned. Add the mushrooms and about 1/2 cup of their liquid (strained, if necessary, to remove sediment) along with the wine. Bring to a boil and cook  for about 30 seconds, then return the veal to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, turn the heat to low, and cover.

Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, turning once or twice during that period and checking now and then to make sure the liquid is bubbling slowly; adjust the heat accordingly.

When the meat is tender, transfer it to a cutting board. Turn the heat under the liquid in the skillet to high and reduce it to a thick, saucy consistency. Stir in the butter if you like and keep it warm. Carve the meat against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times, pp. 180-181. New York, New York: Broadway Books, 2007