You’ll need two large veal hearts, or 3 small ones. Wash quickly in plenty of warm water. Cut away all tough portions to enlarge the cavities to be stuffed. Drain, and soak in sweet milk to cover for 1 hour. Drain again, and sponge well. Season with mixed salt and pepper to which a generous grating of nutmeg has been added. Then set aside while preparing a charcutière stuffing as follows:
Fry for 1 minute in 1 teaspoon chicken fat 2 tablespoons onion, 1 tablespoon parsley, and 1 clove garlic, all finely chopped, stirring constantly; then stir in 1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped fine, and 3/4 cup meat sausage, breaking up the latter with a fork, and fry until both sausage and mushrooms begin to take on a light brown color. Then stir in 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sage. Moisten the stuffing with 2 or 3 tablespoons Madeira wine—more if the stuffing seems a little dry. Fill the cavities of the hearts with the hot stuffing, but do not pack too tightly. Sew or secure with small skewers or kitchen string after wrapping 2 or 3 thin slices of bacon around each heart. Sear the hearts in 2 tablespoons chicken fat until they are brown on all sides. Place the hearts in a deep casserole containing 1 cup each of dry white wine and good beef bouillon, 1 bouquet garni, 3 or 4 whole shallots, and 2 crushed juniper berries. Cover well, and push the casserole into a very moderate oven (325° F.). Cook for 2 hours, turning the hearts 3 times during the cooking. Uncover the casserole during the last half hour. Place the hearts on a hot platter. Then strain the gravy, and thicken it with a little kneaded butter made of equal parts of butter and flour; taste for seasoning, allowing the gravy to boil up once or twice, and pour it over the hearts. Serve garnished with 6 grilled mushrooms and 6 slices tomatoes.
This exclusive recipe is pulled directly from Gourmet’s archive. It has not been re-tested by our food editors since it was published in the magazine, but it’s a pretty good indication of the kinds of things we once cooked—and ate—with great pleasure.