Pan-Roasted Veal Chops

Do you have something special to celebrate; perhaps a birthday, an anniversary, a week without bad news, an evening sans kids, or just because? Before you pick up the phone to make a reservation for dinner – consider making a celebratory dinner at home. A special dinner for two can be budget-friendly and romantic – it doesn’t need have to be expensive or time-consuming. Open a nice bottle of wine and enjoy some time together – you probably have a bottle of wine tucked away for a special occasion. If not, you can easily pick-up a nice bottle for under $20 that is perfect for a toast and for cooking.

Our local butcher had veal chops on special so I built the menu around a recipe from Gourmet (I’ll miss the venerable magazine) to create a special dinner for two. Our reason for a celebratory dinner? It was Fall Break weekend. Our budget-friendly special dinner was book ended by the trifecta of baseball, football and basketball games that make mid-October weekends so special.

Pan-Roasted Veal Chops

2 servings   Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 (1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick) veal chops
• Salt and pepper
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1  tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced or 1 minced shallot
• 8 oz portabello mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (King Estate 2007 Pinot Gris – Signature Collection)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

  2. Pat veal chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy oven-proof skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear chops until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer skillet to middle of oven and roast chops until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into a chop registers 155°F (do not touch bone), 8 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness).

3. While chops are roasting, sauté onion until soft (about 4 minutes) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; stir to incorporate, add vinegar, salt, pepper and dried herbs. Add mushrooms, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine, stir and cook for another minute, taste and adjust seasonings.  Lower heat and simmer until meat is ready to serve.

  4. When chops are done, transfer to a plate and keep warm. Place the chop skillet over medium heat; add remaining butter and oil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced slightly. Add reduction to the onion and mushroom mixture, stir to incorporate, Season with salt and pepper. Serve chops with mushroom sauce spooned over the top.

Serving suggestion: Baked potato, green salad, steamed asparagus or broccoli

Enjoy this delicious meal for two with someone special.  Can be doubled for a double date or a family meal.

Recipe inspiration: Gourmet, April 2002

Wine Note:  While living in Oregon, I discovered King Estate Pinot Gris. Their pinot gris pairs beautifully with food (salmon, chicken, turkey and yes veal). The aroma and flavor is fruity (fall apples and melons) with a crisp edge and smooth finish. The King Estate 2007 Pinot Gris – Signature Collection is in stores now for under $20.

Enjoyed this post? See these:

1. The best lamb chop – easy and quick dinner
2. Thrifty Thursday – budget friendly meal Chicken & Potatoes
3. Chinese Cabbage Salad – budget and waistline friendly

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Tags: king estate pinot gris, veal chop recipe, veal with mushrooms and onions

This entry was posted on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 7:07 am and is filed under Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.