Oiseaux Sans Tetes (Veal Birds)

Serves people

Instructions

  1. Put each slice of veal between sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet until the slices are about half again wider. Avoid pounding all the way through. Set aside.
  2. In a skillet, heat two tablespoons of butter over medium heat and cook the shallots until they're soft--about a minute.
  3. Put the contents of the pan into a bowl. Add the ground veal, beaten egg, parsley, 1/4 tsp. of salt and the cayenne. With a wooden spoon, stir all these ingredients until well mixed.
  4. Divide the ground veal mixture into 12 equal portions. Roll each into a cigar shape about the size of a man's thumb. Place a quarter-slice of bacon across it.
  5. Combine the tablespoon of salt and white pepper with the flour, and stir with a fork to mix. Dust (don't dredge!) the veal slices lightly on both sides with the flour mixture.
  6. Place a ground-veal cigar across a slice of veal and roll it up. Shove a toothpick through the overlapping edge of the veal, in-out-in, sort of sewing it closed.
  7. Put the remaining butter into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining butter and heat until it bubbles. Place all the veal rolls into the pan and turn them every minute or so until they're browned all around.
  8. Move the veal rolls into a pan and out it in the preheated 350-degree oven.
  9. Pour off any excess butter from the skillet, but don't wipe the pan. Add the wine and whisk it over medium-high heat to dissolve all the veal juices and browned bits. After about a minute, add the thyme, carrot sticks, and celery sticks. Cook until tender (about one minutes). Add the raisins. Cook about fifteen seconds more. Add salt and pepper to taste, and remove from the heat.

Ingredient List