Browning the veal in a very sturdy “cocotte” without any oil or butter and then cooking it slowly creates a natural delicious juice to serve alongside. It can be done way ahead, which makes it an excellent meal to serve for a dinner party.
Ingredients
- 1 breast veal roast, about 3 pounds
- 1 large onion (8 oz), peeled and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 potatoes (about 1-pound total), peeled and quartered
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 large mushrooms, halved
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 275°F.
- Place a heavy, cast-iron Dutch oven over low heat. Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper and place, fat side down, in the pan. Brown on all sides until golden, about 30 minutes; discard the rendered fat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and cook, covered, in the oven for 2 hours.
- Remove from the oven; add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, cover, and return to the oven for another hour. Let rest 30 minutes before serving.
Veal is very expensive and becoming less and less available at the market. Occasionally, however, I will find a breast of veal, with the bone and cartilage included; it’s one of the tastiest cuts of veal available and it’s less expensive than many other cuts. It makes an excellent roast when it’s braised slowly for a long time as I do here.