Veal Chops With Chanterelle

Wednesday’s Santa Monica Farm Market yielded some fantastic surprises to get my culinary juices flowing.  My finds included, rose fleshed, creamy textured,  fingerling potatoes; large sweet grape tomatoes, juicy limes, and best of all chanterelle ^[1] mushrooms. The chanterelles only happen when the weather and humidity conditions are right in the fall and winter. ^[2]

How about serving a very fancy Shabbat dinner of grilled veal chops with a chanterelle and grape tomato sauté?  To round out the plate, oven roasted rose fingerlings with julienne fennel and some steamed broccoli and or steamed haricortverts.  Homemade challah is always on the Shabbat table.

Grilled Veal Chops

6 1 and ½ inch thick veal chops

Juice of 2 limes

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Pepper ^[3]

Arrange veal chops on a plate, season with salt and pepper.  Squeeze the lime juice over the veal chops and then drizzle the olive oil on top.  Turn the veal chops over a couple of times to evenly distribute the lime juice and olive oil. Let the chops sit, while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Place an empty, heavy duty, roasting pan in the oven to warm.  Preheat the grill or a grill pan.  Grease the grill with some oil and then place the veal chops on the grill.  Sear them on both sides.  I like to change directions to give them cross hatched grill marks before I turn them over to the second side. When the chops are seared remove them to the hot large roasting pan. Each chop should be directly touching the surface of the roasting pan.  Place in the hot oven to finish.  Remove chops from the oven in about 10-20 minutes depending on desired degree of doneness.  Set aside to rest.

^[4]Chanterelle with Tomatoes

½ pound of chanterelle (if not available any mushroom will work)

½ pint of grape tomatoes

½ of a large red bell pepper.

3 garlic cloves

2 shallots

1/3 cup of chopped parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 and ½ cup chicken stock ^[5]

Wipe off the mushrooms with a damp towel.  Trim the tips.  Slice the mushrooms in approximately 1 inch slices.  Slice the grape tomatoes in half.  Chop the bell pepper into 1/3 inch dice. Mince the garlic and shallots.

Preheat a large size sauté pan.  Pour in the olive oil, and then add the shallots. Sauté for a few moments then add the mushrooms.  Turn the heat to high and sear the mushrooms, then lower the heat and add the garlic, tomatoes, and bell peppers.  Sauté until mushrooms begin to stick, and tomatoes are softening, season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock.  Cook until the chicken stock cooks down and almost evaporates.  Garnish with parsley.  The mushrooms have a creamy, meaty texture that goes great with veal chops.