Holiday Fare: Corsican Stuffed Veal Breast
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Chances are, you're not as familiar with Corsican food as you should be. Thankfully, there's a new collection of recipes out by Nicolas Stromboli, master sommelier and just about the best guide you could ask for when it comes to this Mediterranean island. Complete with wine pairings and stunning photography, Corsica is a must-have for your culinary and travel book collections. For a special occasion that demands a meaty centerpiece, try this slow-cooked stuffed veal breast.
This dish is often served cold with a purée of winter vegetables (parsnips, potatoes, horseradish) and pickled vegetables on the side.
In the following days, I like to cook some penne and add the leftovers from tasty dish along with a drizzle of olive oil.
To drink: A ten-year-old Oriu red from Torraccia.
- 1 bunch Swiss chard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions
- 1 slice vuletta (or guanciale)
- black pepper
- 3 pounds 5 ounces veal (or beef) breast
- 4 carrots
- 6 French shallots
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 ounces dry white wine
- 2 strips lemon peel
- 1 thyme sprig
- salt
- Preheat the oven to 180°F.
- Remove the stalks from the Swiss chard and blanch the leaves for 2 minutes in salted boiling water. Rinse under cold water, then slice.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan and add the onion. Cook until starting to brown, then add the sliced Swiss chard leaves and the vuletta. When the Swiss chard leaves have wilted, add some pepper and remove from the heat.
- Lay the veal out flat and top with the onion and Swiss chard mixture. Roll the meat up and tie it securely on all sides with kitchen string, taking care not to let the stuffing escape.
- Heat the remaining oil over high heat in a long enameled cast-iron casserole pot on the stove top, and sear the rolled meat on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside. Return the pot to the heat and add the carrot, celery, shallot and garlic. Cook with the crusted-on bits of meat until the vegetables color. Add the tomato paste and allow it to caramelize. Meanwhile, bring the wine to the boil in a saucepan and flambé it. Add this wine to the caramelized vegetables and stir to combine.
- Add the lemon peel, thyme and veal along with enough lightly salted hot water to cover one-quarter of the meat. Put the lid on the pot and transfer to the oven for 12 hours.
- Allow to rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.