An impressive holiday entrée for dining family style or served on a buffet. The Cranberry & Apricot Stuffing is perfect paired with veal tenderloin but if you want to save time substitute your favourite store-bought stuffing.
12 Servings
Ingredients
3 lbs (1.5 kg) veal tenderloin, silver skin trimmed off
2 naval oranges
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp (15 mL) molasses
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) tri-color peppers
3-4 springs rosemary
Cranberry and Apricot Stuffing
(or use store-bought stuffing)
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) granulated garlic powder
½ tsp (2 mL) smoked paprika
¼ tsp (1 mL) black pepper
3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
3 Tbsp (45 mL) butter, divided
1 cup (250 mL) ground veal
½ medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 tsp (5 mL) fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp (15 mL) diced fresh Italian parsley
½ cup (125 mL) diced apricots
½ cup (125 mL) sweetened dried cranberries
4 slices brioche bread, toasted and grounded into breadcrumbs
2 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
¼ cup (60 mL) molasses
Butcher’s twine
5 slices of blood oranges or tangerine as garnish
Place the veal on a cutting board. Make a 1-inch-long horizontal cut with the tip of a boning knife. Continue to follow the seam while cutting to open the tenderloin flat like a rectangular book.
Cover the tenderloin with a piece of plastic wrap and pound it ½ inch thick with a meat mallet or roll out with a rolling pin.
Add all remaining ingredients for the marinade to a medium bowl and mix. Add the veal to a large food storage bag or a glass baking dish, add the marinade and refrigerate for overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside and remove the veal tenderloin from refrigerator.
Cranberry and Apricot Stuffing (if making)
Add the spices to a small dish and mix with a fork, set aside. Heat a large skillet with oil and 1 Tbsp of butter over medium high heat. Add ground veal and cook while separating the pieces for 3 minutes. Season to taste with the salt mixture (store remaining mixture in an airtight container for other use) Add veal to a medium bowl, set aside.
Add remaining butter to the skillet and melt. Add onion, garlic, celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add to the bowl with the veal.
Add thyme, parsley, apricots, cranberries, and mix. Add breadcrumbs, lemon zest, stock, and mix, set aside.
Transfer tenderloin to the cutting board, pat dry with paper towels. Add reserve marinade to a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes. Add additional molasses and reduce to a thickened glaze that coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, set aside
Spread the stuffing mixture over the tenderloin. Roll one end up to form a roulade. Place slices of oranges down the length of the roulade, tie the tenderloin in 1-inch intervals securing the orange slices, thread the marinated rosemary leaves through the strings over the oranges.
Place the tenderloin on the baking sheet, brush generously with the glaze, transfer to oven bake for 30-45 minutes brushing occasionally with the glaze or until the internal temperature of the veal is 135˚F (57˚C) for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes, remove strings, slice, and serve with mash potatoes or asparagus.
