Stuffed Veal Roulades

Serves 8

2 cups cold water
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 pound finely ground veal
3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup paper thin slices of leeks, white part only
1/4 pound butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a 1 to 1- 1/2 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the quartered potato and boil 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.  Drain and mash with a fork.  In a small frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.  When the foam subsides, add the chopped onions and cook 7 to 8 minutes,  stirring frequently, until they are soft and transparent but not brown. Scrape the onions into a large mixing bowl, and add the mashed potato, ground veal, bread crumbs, cream, water, salt, pepper, egg, parsley, and cornstarch.  Mix well, then refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Brush a large wooden pastry board with water and pat or roll out the mixture to a 16-by16-inch square about 1/8 inch thick.  Your hands or the rolling pin should be moistened with water to prevent the ground-meat mixture from sticking. With a pastry wheel or small sharp knife, cut the rectangle of meat into 16 squares of 4 by 4 inches each.  Put a thin layer of leek slices one each square, jelly-roll fashion.  Ideally, they should now be chilled, but they may, if necessary, be cooked immediately. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet.  When the foam subsides, add the roulades, 4 at a time, turning them gently with a spatula so that they brown on all sides.  When they are a rich brown, set them aside on a heated platter in a 200º oven.  Repeat the process, adding 2 tablespoons of fresh butter for every 4 roulades.  Pour the 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the empty pan and boil it rapidly for 3 to 5 minutes, until it the thickens, meanwhile scraping up the browned bits in the pan with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.   Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed, and pour over the waiting roulades.  If you must, cover the platter with foil and keep warm in a 200º oven for not more than 15 minutes.