Veal Stuffed with a Mosaic of Vegetables

Name: Veal Stuffed with a Mosaic of Vegetables
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: A 4-to-5-pound boneless veal shoulder roast; 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cups onions sliced in 1/4-inch-thick half-moons; 1 cup carrot matchsticks 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick; 2 cups zucchini matchsticks 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick; 1 cup red bell pepper strips 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup frozen peas, thawed; 4 cups loosely packed tender spinach leaves; 6 large eggs for the frittata; 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1/2 cup milk; 5 or 6 large eggs, hard-cooked and peeled; 1 medium onion, cut in chunks; 1 medium carrot, cut in chunks; 1 medium stalk celery, cut in chunks; 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 1/3 cup kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups Salsa Verde (page 384); A sharp, long-bladed knife for butterflying the meat; a meat mallet; a heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter; kitchen twine; cheesecloth sheet, 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, double thickness; a wide, heavy saucepan, preferably an oval-shaped cast-iron French oven, 5-to-7-quart capacity, with a cover

December 9, 2011

Stuffed veal breast can be found in many regions, but the Genovese preparation, cima alla Genovese, is one of the most distinctive and delicious. It is one of my favorite Ligurian dishes, and whenever I am in Genova I seek it out at the local restaurants. Traditionally, it is a specialty of late spring and summer, because in the natural cycle, calves are mostly birthed in early spring, and the veal will be most tender within the next few months. Appropriately for a summer dish, cima alla Genovese is served at room temperature, accompanied by fresh salsa verde. Here, though, I give you my home version of cima, one that I prepare all year around, whenever I want something special (and convenient) to delight lots of people. Because veal breast of appropriate size can be hard to find, I use veal shoulder and sometimes turkey breast, butterflied and flattened. I wrap the meat around a colorful filling: a big frittata with a medley of vegetables and a row of hard-cooked eggs. Poached in a log shape, the cima cools before it is sliced for serving. It is still always exciting for me (and will be for you) as each slice is revealed, the filling ingredients forming a unique mosaic within a frame of moist, tender meat. The convenience of cima I also love. I can assemble the stuffed veal the night before, cook it early in the morning, and let it rest. Uncut, the roll keeps well (even for several days) and can be served whenever needed, without further cooking. In summer, it makes a fine al fresco lunch or dinner, or a picnic centerpiece. At holiday times, nothing is more beautiful on a buffet. And when there are guests in the house, I serve it at dinner and leave the rest as an elegant anytime snack.

Recipe notes