Shared by Donna Steinhorn
Shared by Donna Steinhorn
Stuffed Veal Breast
Yield: 6 servings
Stuffed Veal Breast
Yield: 6 servingsFamily Journey
Prešov, Czechoslovakia (present day Slovakia)AuschwitzQueens, NY
Rumson, NJ
“There were never small portions of anything in our home,” says Donna Steinhorn, whose mother, Magdalena, immigrated to the U.S. from Czechoslovakia after the Holocaust. This majestic veal breast, stuffed with schmaltzy challah and vegetables, is a testament to that. While Donna’s mother had her specialties, such as strapačky, it was her father Paul, a kosher butcher and cook, who made the veal. Donna fondly reminisces that her dad served the veal on a gold trimmed platter and would “proudly display his creation, before taking it back into the kitchen and slicing it into thick slices.”
Read more about Donna’s family in “A Childhood Where the Holocaust Was Always Present, But Never Spoken Of” and try her recipes for sweet cabbage noodles and strapačky with farmer’s cheese.
Ingredients
For the veal:
- 6 lbs. veal breast (ask your butcher to cut a deep pocket)
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 stalks of celery, minced
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the stuffing:
- 6 slices challah
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons schmaltz
- 3 stalks celery, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400F. Quickly run the challah under water to moisten, then squeeze most of the water out and rip into small pieces. Add the egg, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Step 2
Melt schmaltz in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, and garlic and sauté for about 10 minutes until soft and fragrant. Remove from heat, add the bread mixture to the pan and mix to combine.
Step 3
Pat the veal dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill the pocket with the prepared stuffing and close using skewers, or sew closed. Brush the veal with the oil.
Step 4
Place vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan and put stuffed veal on top of the vegetables. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F. Cook an additional 25 minutes per pound. Veal is done when a meat thermometer reaches 175F. Let the veal stand for 10 minutes before carving.
