Breast of veal (includes bones) with pocket
Your favorite steak seasoning (mixture of coarse salt, pepper, other spices -such as Montreal steak seasoning and others)
Sage, to taste
2/3 cup corn meal
1/4 cup salad dressing (or pesto)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1. Unpack the veal breast (3 1/2 to 5 lbs) and make sure that the pocket for stuffing comes to within 1 1/2 inches of the outside of the roast (carefully enlarge with a long knife as necessary). If the membrane covering the ribs has not been cut into, yet, make several 1/4 inch deep cuts through the membrane parallel to the ribs to release the fat as the meat cooks.

2. Heavily sprinkle the outside of the meat with the steak seasoning and sage and place inside Dutch oven or similar heavy cooking pot with tightly fitting lid (tight fit is essential for keeping the moisture inside.

3. Mix together the corn meal with either salad dressing or pesto (pesto is better, if available) to make a thick paste and mix in the Romano cheese.

4. Stuff the pocket with the cornmeal mixture and place the meat with the rib side up.

5. Cover the Dutch oven and place in middle rack of oven. Turn on oven to the 175 degree Fahrenheit mark and bake for 7-9 hrs. A large slow cooking appliance such as a barbeque crockpot can also be used - but note that the setting may actually be hotter and the dish will cook faster - maybe 5 hrs. Use a thermometer to monitor temperature. The slower the dish cooks, the more tender the meat will be. The polenta makes itself during this process.

6. When you open the lid at the end, the meat should be cooked and sitting in a mixture of meat broth, oil, and melted fat. Remove the bones and cartilage from the meat (they should come out very easily) and gently peel off any remaining visible fat. These can be used for soup stock, if desired. Slice the remaining meat with stuffing in 1 1/2 to 2 inch thick slices.

6A. If serving right away, place on a platter. Use a baster or a cup with the spout at its base to pour the remaining liquid from the Dutch oven or crockpot over the meat while minimizing the amount of fat. Add tomato sauce if desired.

6B. If a crispier outside of the slices is desired, place the slices on a cookie sheet, sprinkle the liquid over the driest looking parts of each slice, and broil for 1-2 minutes until brown enough (Keep an eye on this step or it will all dry out!) Transfer immediately to platter for serving.

6C. If serving at a later time, remove the bones and fat as previously described, but postpone slicing the meat with stuffing. Refrigerate as per food safety guidelines. Also refrigerate the liquid in the refrigerator and skim off the fat before using (the liquid will gel). When ready for serving at a later time, individual slices can be reheated in a microwave, or multiple slices reheated either in a covered heavy skillet on low heat or covered on a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan at 300°F after pouring the melted liquid over the slides.

Submitted by: David Rubin