Veal Chops with Braised Cavalo Nero, Lemon, & Olive Oil
This recipe for gourmet veal chops may require a few more steps than many of the recipes on the site, but it is absolutely delicious and a wonderful recipe for entertaining.
4veal chops, rib chops, Frenched, each 14 to 16 ounces and about 1 1/2 inches thick
1cupdry white wine
1cupchicken stock, preferably homemade
2tablespoonsbutter, unsalted, cut into pieces
1tablespoonflat-leaf parsley, chopped fresh
Cavalo Nero, below
1cupRed Wine Sauce, below
Instructions
Zest one of the lemons and set the zest aside. Juice the 2 lemons and set the juice aside.
On a cutting board, mash the garlic with a pinch of salt. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the rosemary and thyme. Stir in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with pepper.
Pat the veal chops dry with paper towels and rub the garlic paste all over. You can prepare the chops up to this point 24 hours ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear the chops, turning once, for a total of 6 minutes, or until golden brown. You will have to do this in batches. Transfer the chops to a shallow roasting pan. Do not wash the skillet.
Roast the chops for 20 to 25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the chops registers 135° to 140°F for medium-rare.
Meanwhile, in the same skillet, bring the lemon juice and wine to a boil over high heat and, with a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits sticking to the pan. Boil for about 5 minutes, or until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add the stock and boil for about 5 minutes longer, or until the sauce reduces to about 3/4 cup.
Remove the chops from the roasting pan. Pour any pan drippings into the wine sauce. Bring to a boil and add the butter, a piece at a time, stirring it into the sauce until incorporated. Do not add another piece until the one before is incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest and parsley.
Divide the cavalo nero among 4 serving plates. Top each serving with a veal chop and spoon the sauce over each. Drizzle the chops with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with the lemon and parsley mixture, and serve.