Veal Olives

This is a recipe pulled from the dusty end of the American culinary shelf. Veal olives have nothing to do with the fruit; the name refers to tightly rolled meat bundles (also called paupiettes or braciole in other traditions) that resemble plump little olives once trussed. Thinly pounded veal from the leg gets spread with a savory bread-crumb and onion stuffing, rolled, tied, and pan-cooked with more butter, onion, and whole cloves.

The technique is rustic and forgiving. There’s no precise sauce recipe; once the rolls are browned and tender, you deglaze the pan drippings into a quick gravy and pour it over. A garnish of sliced hard-boiled eggs dresses up the platter the old-fashioned way.

Clove is the sneaky ingredient. Just a few whole cloves pressed into each roll perfume the whole pan as the veal cooks. Use a light hand; clove dominates fast.

Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles to soak up the pan gravy.

Chef Tips

• Pound the veal slices between plastic wrap to ¼ inch thick; thicker slices are hard to roll tight.
• Tie with butcher’s twine or thread in two places per roll so they don’t unfurl while cooking.
• Remove threads before saucing, not after, so the gravy gets everywhere.
• Don’t skip browning; the fond at the bottom of the pan is what flavors the gravy.

Variations

• Sub pounded chicken breast or turkey cutlets for veal.
• Add a handful of chopped mushrooms or raisins to the bread-crumb stuffing.
• Deglaze with dry white wine or sherry for a richer gravy.