Breast of Veal Stuffing
Submitted by jetta
Italian-style stuffing with crispy pancetta, lentils, arborio rice, and fresh sage simmered in broth. Built for breast of veal but works beautifully in chicken, pork, or as a hearty side dish.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minThis stuffing pulls from the Italian playbook, and it’s a good one.
Crispy bits of pancetta get cooked down with onion and garlic, then lentils and arborio rice join the party and simmer in chicken broth until everything is plump, tender, and soaked with flavor.
Fresh sage ties it all together with that unmistakable herbal warmth.
It’s designed to fill a breast of veal, but honestly, it works just as well stuffed into a roast chicken, tucked inside pork loin, or spooned onto a plate as a standalone side.
Kitchen Tips
- Use green or brown lentils here. Red lentils break down too quickly and turn to mush before the rice finishes cooking.
- Arborio rice gives this stuffing a creamy, slightly sticky texture you won’t get from long-grain. Don’t substitute it.
- Let the stuffing cool completely before filling your veal breast. Hot stuffing keeps cooking and can turn soggy inside the roast.
- Bacon works fine if you can’t find pancetta. Blanch it in boiling water for 30 seconds first to tame the smoky flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Unroll pancetta, chop into ¼ inch pieces and place in a skillet with olive oil.
Place skillet over medium heat and cook 2 minutes.
Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
Add lentils, rice and broth.
Turn heat to low, cover and simmer until broth is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, scrape contents of the skillet into a work bowl and add sage, salt and pepper.
Comments