I HAVE FOR THE MOST PART STOPPED EATING VEAL. FIRST, BECAUSE THE MILK-FED VEAL WE GET IN THIS COUNTRY IS A PRODUCT OF THE CRUELEST KIND OF FACTORY FARMING, AND SECOND, BECAUSE FREE-RANGE VEAL-- THE KIND YOU GET IN EUROPE-- IS ALMOST AS RARE HERE AS IT IS EXPENSIVE.
McCALL'S MEAT AND FISH SOURCE WHAT THEY CALL "COMMUNALLY-RAISED" VEAL, IMPLYING A COLLEGIAL, KIBBUTZ-LIKE ENVIRONMENT PRIOR TO SLAUGHTER. THIS VEAL IS BEEFIER THAN MILK-FED VEAL AND MUCH MORE TASTY. SO, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, I SUCCUMB TO TEMPTATION AND PONY UP FOR VEAL STEW MEAT FOR BLANQUETTE DE VEAU OR THICK-CUT RIB CHOPS. THE LATE-GREAT JOEL ROBUCHON HAS A SIMPLE BUT PERFECT RECIPE IN SIMPLY FRENCH, THE COOKBOOK HE CO-AUTHORED WITH PATRICIA WELLS. THE CHOPS ARE PAN-COOKED WITH SMALL CUBES OF BACON AND VEAL TRIMMINGS. ADD A WHOLE HEAD OF UNPEELED GARLIC AND A FEW SPRIGS OF THYME, BASTE WITH BUTTER AND PAN DRIPPINGS THROUGHOUT THE COOKING PROCESS AND THE RESULT IS BROWNED BUT SUCCULENT CHOPS. SINCE THIS IS YOUR SINFULLY DECADENT MAIN COURSE, IT'S WORTH DEVOTING SOME TIME AND EFFORT TO SOME INTERESTING SIDE DISHES, SUCH AS CIPOLLINI, CARROTS WITH TARRAGON AND LEMON ZEST, AND A GREEN VEGETABLE SUCH AS STRING BEANS, BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, OR SPINACH.
CUT THE TRIMMINGS AND THE BACON INTO 1/8 INCH CUBES.
CUT THE HEAD OF GARLIC CROSSWISE IN HALF SO EACH HALF REMAINS INTACT.
MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND 4 TBSPS OF GRAPE SEED OIL IN A PAN LARGE ENOUGH TO EASILY ACCOMMODATE THE VEAL CHOPS WITHOUT CROWDING. ALTERNATELY, COOK CHOPS IN TWO SEPARATE PANS.
DRY THE CHOPS THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER. WHEN THE BUTTER HAS MELTED AND THE PAN VERY HOT, ADD THE VEAL CHOPS, THE TRIMMINGS, THE BACON, AND THE GARLIC CUT SIDE DOWN.
ONCE THE CHOPS HAVE BROWNED, REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM. COOK 4-6 MINUTES PER SIDE. FOR MEDIUM RARE WATCH FOR DROPS OF BLOOD TO APPEAR, THEN COOK A MINUTE OR SO LONGER OR UNTIL THE MEAT SPRINGS BACK WHEN POKED WITH YOUR FINGER. HALFWAY THROUGH THE COOKING ADD THE THYME SPRIGS. BASTE FREQUENTLY DURING THE COOKING.
WHEN DONE, ALLOW CHOPS TO REST FOR 5 MINUTES ON INDIVIDUAL WARM PLATES. DIVIDE UP TRIMMINGS AND BACON AND DISTRIBUTE EQUALLY. SQUEEZE THE GARLIC FROM THEIR SKIN AND SCATTER OVER THE CHOPS . GARNISH WITH PARSLEY LEAVES.
SERVES 4
PICTURED SIDE DISHES:
BOILED STRING BEANS (PICTURED ARE DRAGON BEANS) CARROTS WITH FRESH TARRAGON AND LEMON ZEST PAN-COOKED CIPOLLINI OR PEARL ONIONS
Ingredients
Directions
CUT THE TRIMMINGS AND THE BACON INTO 1/8 INCH CUBES.
CUT THE HEAD OF GARLIC CROSSWISE IN HALF SO EACH HALF REMAINS INTACT.
MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND 4 TBSPS OF GRAPE SEED OIL IN A PAN LARGE ENOUGH TO EASILY ACCOMMODATE THE VEAL CHOPS WITHOUT CROWDING. ALTERNATELY, COOK CHOPS IN TWO SEPARATE PANS.
DRY THE CHOPS THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER. WHEN THE BUTTER HAS MELTED AND THE PAN VERY HOT, ADD THE VEAL CHOPS, THE TRIMMINGS, THE BACON, AND THE GARLIC CUT SIDE DOWN.
ONCE THE CHOPS HAVE BROWNED, REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM. COOK 4-6 MINUTES PER SIDE. FOR MEDIUM RARE WATCH FOR DROPS OF BLOOD TO APPEAR, THEN COOK A MINUTE OR SO LONGER OR UNTIL THE MEAT SPRINGS BACK WHEN POKED WITH YOUR FINGER. HALFWAY THROUGH THE COOKING ADD THE THYME SPRIGS. BASTE FREQUENTLY DURING THE COOKING.
WHEN DONE, ALLOW CHOPS TO REST FOR 5 MINUTES ON INDIVIDUAL WARM PLATES. DIVIDE UP TRIMMINGS AND BACON AND DISTRIBUTE EQUALLY. SQUEEZE THE GARLIC FROM THEIR SKIN AND SCATTER OVER THE CHOPS . GARNISH WITH PARSLEY LEAVES.
SERVES 4
PICTURED SIDE DISHES:
BOILED STRING BEANS (PICTURED ARE DRAGON BEANS) CARROTS WITH FRESH TARRAGON AND LEMON ZEST PAN-COOKED CIPOLLINI OR PEARL ONIONS
