Recipe Review - Veal Involtini - 2010 Calendar

[JulieO]

Made this today but I could only get veal fillets that weren't very thin.  I cut each one in half horizontally myself, but even after pounding with a meat mallet they were still a little fatter than was required.  Not to worry, I used them anyway and even though the presentation wasn't fabulous, the flavour of the whole meal was really nice.  I will make again but will try and get from the butchers already thinly sliced. 

Being steamed they did look a little insipid so next time I will probably drizzle some more of the sauce over the top to disguise that.  I could have browned off in a pan, but because they didn't look the best, I forgo doing that, but it is an option.

Very easy meal and I used a 800g tin of chopped tomatoes and pureed them which resulted in around 730g of puree??, so used the whole of that in the sauce.

I served with mashed potatoes, roast pumpkin and cauli & cheese.  I have a bit of the sauce left over which I'm sure I can use up.

4/5 only because the presentation can depend of the thinness of the veal, but 5/5 for flavour. 

[judydawn]

Our Foodland only ever has the very thin sliced veal JulieO so that will be perfect for me.  I also reckon you could use those very finely sliced pork steaks as an alternative too.  Thanks for the review, nice to see the flavour got a 5/5.

[Paul]

Veal.  An interesting topic.  Badly handled by Aussie supermarkets, consistently cut with the grain, not across it.  Italians understand veal, so if you're lucky to live near an Italian butcher (which I'm not) you might be ok.  I've had beautiful veal, as pale as pork, in Italy.  I think we're squeamish about milk fed veal here, so what we get in Australia is about a year old and red, not white.  I think the best choice for involtini in this circumstance is actually pork.  The butterfly pork loin fillets, divided in half, are perfect.  Flatten them out with your hand, a mallet isn't necessary.  Veal cut with the grain, consisting of 2 or 3 muscle groups, is hopeless.  If I do use veal, I get a veal loin and cut it into scallopini myself.  And I think steaming is a no-no, it has to be fried.

[meganjane]

Ah! Someone who understands meat! Thanks for the great info Paul. I agree that meat such as this should never be steamed.

[Paul]

Ah! Someone who understands meat! Thanks for the great info Paul. I agree that meat such as this should never be steamed.

\\

Thanks MJ, veal in Australia makes me grumpy

[brazen20au]

when i lived in italy all the non-italians i knew refused to eat their veal due to cruelty issues 

[meganjane]

I personally don't eat milk fed veal. Veal you buy in the supermarket is baby beef anyway. I use pork or chicken in place of veal.