Veal stuffed with Golden Raisins and Pignoli nuts & Fresh Lemon Creme Ices

Veal breast stuffed with golden raisins and pignoli nuts, stuffed shells, and roasted Potatoes. Lemon creme ices for dessert. 

Ingredients:

2 lbs veal, pounded thin

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of golden raisins

1/2 cup of pignoli (pine) nuts

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped 

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup of dry white wine. Drink the rest. 

1 can of whole tomatoes. Crushed by hand. Include the juice from that. 

Instructions:

Have the butcher butterfly it for you, and pound it thin. You should call a few days in advance to make sure they have it in stock, and if not if they can order it special. Don't let them cut it until you can go and see the peice of meat. Show them a picture of what you are making so they cut the dimensions to what you need. Also 2 lbs should be around $12. Although you may be tempted to butterfly it yourself, you will end up bringing a bigger piece home than you need. 

1. Lay out your butterflied veal. In a large bowl, combine your chopped spinach, pignoli nuts, garlic, golden raisins, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. 

2. Take the whole mixture and form one layer on the veal. Make sure it is evenly spread. 

3. Roll the veal from the short end to the other short end. Start from the shorter end, stretching the veal as needed to keep all the ingredients inside. 

4. Once rolled, use string to tie it off. Your butcher may have some and can show you the proper way to tie a knot by yourself. You tie it once like tying your shoe, and then pull perpendicularly. This will keep the first tie from moving so you can make that double knot. Cut the string and move onto your next knot. Try to evenly space the ties. The two at the end are the most important, and will keep the ingredients from falling out. 

It will depend how many knots you will need. Here I used four. And I made sure the knots were on the bottom where the fold is. 

5. In a dutch oven, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Brown your veal roll. Remove from pan and let sit. 

6.In the same saucepan, add the diced carrots, celery and onions.  Add the wine and stir until it evaporates. Add the crushed tomatoes, and the juice from the crushed tomatoes. Do not add the juice from the can that will be too much.  

7. Return your veal roll to the pan, reduce to a simmer. 

8. Cook covered for 1 hour. 

I chose to not crush my tomatoes. 

Serve over a bed of spinach. Arrange the carrots, celery, onions, and tomatoes around the veal. 

9. Let the veal sit on the carving board for a few minutes. Cut before serving with either a sharp knife or electric knife. 

Dessert. 

Ingredients:

8-10 medium lemons

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar, (you can add more if needed)

Instructions:

1. Pick out 8-10 well formed lemons. Look for very yellow and symmetrical lemons. 

2. Wash lemons and dry. Cut off the bottoms, only enough so they can stand and discard. Cut off little caps as well. Keep them on the side. 

3. Scrape out the lemon insides and keep in a bowl. 

4. Strain the juice from the lemons. Some pulp is okay. 

5. In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, sugar. Beat with hand beater or kitchen aid attachment. When it forms the consistency of whipped cream, add in a tablespoon of lemon at a time, whipping in between each addition. Add only as much lemon as you think you need, you do not have to add the entirety of the lemon juice. 

6. Fill each lemon cup and add on a cap. Put right into the freezer. 

7. Freeze at least 30 minutes before serving. Right before serving, add a mint leaf. 

For the stuffed shells, you can have two options. Frozen or home-made. For home-made ones, there is another post for fresh ricotta and filling coming this weekend. Otherwise follow the instructions on the package, add your favorite sauce and cheese and bake. Serve with more ricotta and basil. For this recipe I had used the sauce I made the night before. It was a Marachiatta sauce. Which is a spicy bacon flavored sauce. 

For the roasted potatoes, golden potatoes work well and are my favorite. I used Lipton onion soup mix. All you have to do it wash the potatoes and let dry. Add the package and a teaspoon of oil at a time. With your hands make sure every potato is coated with the onion mix. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until you can poke a fork through.