Veal Pojarski

• 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup torn, day-old white-bread pieces (no crusts)
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 8 ounces diced roasted veal, pork or beef
• 8 ounces ground veal
• Leaves of 1 thyme sprig
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 2 clean veal or lamb chop bones (optional; available at butcher shops)
• 4 thin slices bacon

1. Soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover until soft (about 30 minutes), then drain and coarsely chop.
2. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
3. In a large skillet, melt 1/2 the butter over medium heat.
4. Add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic.
5. Cook, stirring, until shallot is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
6. (Do not brown.)
7. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
8. Soak bread in milk for 15 minutes, then lightly squeeze dry.
9. In a large bowl, combine porcini mixture, soaked bread, roasted meat, ground veal, thyme, egg and salt.
10. To taste for seasoning, heat a small skillet and fry a chunk of the mixture until browned.
11. Add salt and pepper to mixture, to taste.
12. Divide the mixture in half and shape each half into a ball, with a slightly flattened top and bottom.
13. If using bones, poke a hole in one side of each ball and stick a bone into the hole.
14. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy baking dish and gently lay the balls side by side.
15. Lay 2 pieces of bacon on each and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, basting every 4 or 5 minutes, until sizzling and fragrant.
16. Remove bacon for last 5 minutes of cooking.
17. Serve hot.

porcini mushrooms, unsalted butter, shallot, clove garlic, whitebread, milk, veal, ground veal, thyme, egg, salt, pepper, veal, thin slices bacon

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12251 (may not work)