Breast of Veal, Simply Stewed

Source: Eliza Acton, 1855

Instructions

Omit the forcemeat from the preceding receipt (Poitrine de Veau Glacee) and stew the joint tender in good veal broth or shin of beef stock.
Drain and dish it.
Pour a little rich gravy round it, and garnish it with nicely fried balls of the forcemeat No. 1, Chapter VIII, or with mushroom-forcemeat (No. 7). Mushroom-sauce is always an excellent accompaniment to a joint of veal.
The liquor in which the breast is stewed or braised is too fat to serve as sauce until it has been cooled and cleared.
The veal can be cooked without boning, but will have an indifferent appearance; in that case bring it slowly to a boil and simmer it very gently - about two hours and a half will stew it tender.
The sweetbread, after being scalded, may be stewed with it for half that time and served upon it.
Obs.: the breast without the gristles, boned and filled with forcemeat, makes a superior roast. It may also be boiled on occasion and served with balls of oyster-forcemeat in the dish, or with white mushroom-sauce instead.
A SEPARATE ENGLISH RECEIPT, which Acton prints in a footnote as the work of 'an excellent practical cook' rather than her own: after the joint has been boned, flattened and trimmed, season it well and let it lie for an hour or two (Acton adds that she does not consider this essential). Prepare some good veal forcemeat with a little minced shalot added and spread it over the veal. If you have any cold tongue or lean of ham, cut it in square strips and lay them the short way of the meat, so they are shown when it is carved. Roll it up very tight, keep it in good shape, enclose it in a cloth as you would a jam-pudding and lace it up well. Lay it into a braising-pan with three onions, as many large carrots thickly sliced, some spice, sweet herbs, and sufficient fresh second-stock or strong veal broth to more than half cover it. Stew it very gently over a slow fire for three hours, turning it occasionally without disturbing the braise around it. Glaze it before it is sent to table, and serve it with Spanish sauce or rich English brown gravy flavoured with a glass of sherry, garnished with stewed mushrooms in small heaps and fried forcemeat balls.