Stewed Fillet of Veal

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Veal fillet, boneless (Ask butcher to bone if needed)
• 4 ounces Pork fat or bacon, cut into thin strips for larding (For larding the veal)
• 1 cup Fresh bread crumbs (For forcemeat stuffing)
• 4 ounces Ground pork (For forcemeat)
• 1 whole Egg, beaten (For binding forcemeat)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped (For forcemeat)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme, chopped (For forcemeat)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (For forcemeat)
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground (For forcemeat)
• 8 cups Chicken or veal stock (White stock for stewing)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh lemon juice (Substitute for lemon pickle)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Substitute for mushroom catsup)
• 3 tablespoons Butter (For thickening gravy)
• 3 tablespoons All-purpose flour (For thickening gravy)
• 0.125 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (To taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (To taste for gravy)
• 8 ounces Button mushrooms, sliced (Fresh or pickled)
• 1 whole Lemon, sliced (For garnish)
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil (For roasting)

Instructions

1. 1In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, ground pork, beaten egg, chopped parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
2. 2Create a pocket in the veal fillet by cutting horizontally through the center, leaving one edge intact. Fill the pocket with the forcemeat stuffing and tie securely with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals.
3. 3Using a larding needle or sharp knife, insert thin strips of pork fat into the surface of the veal at regular intervals across the top and sides. This will keep the meat moist during cooking.
4. 4Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the veal on all sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
5. 5Place the seared veal in the preheated oven and roast uncovered for 30 minutes until partially cooked.
6. 6Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Cover tightly and return to the oven. Braise for 1.5 hours until the veal is very tender.
7. 7While the veal is stewing, prepare additional forcemeat using the same ingredients as the stuffing. Form into 24-36 small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Pan-fry in a little oil over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes total.
8. 8Carefully remove the veal from the pot and place on a serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, discarding solids.
9. 9In a small bowl, knead together the butter and flour with a fork until it forms a smooth paste (beurre manié).
10. 10Bring the strained gravy to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the beurre manié a little at a time until the gravy reaches desired thickness. Add cayenne pepper, salt, and sliced mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat through and blend flavors.
11. 11Remove kitchen twine from the veal. Pour the hot gravy over the veal on the serving platter. Arrange the forcemeat balls around the base and on top of the veal. Garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately.