Veal Loin Chops with Tarragon and White Wine Reduction Sauce

Veal is one of those rich, delicious delicacies that PETA would have you believe is morally reprehensible to consume. And you know what? Maybe it is, but I’ll be damned if that’s going to stop me. So with some thick and succulent veal loin chops on hand, I decided to go with a relatively simple recipe that produces some pretty complex and interesting flavors, mostly due to the use of tarragon. On the side, I steamed some broccoli and made a simple risotto to round out this delicious gourmet meal. The risotto recipe is the same one I used for my seafood risotto, and you can make whichever sides you like, so I’ll only be detailing the process for cooking the veal below.

Recipe adapted from Rossotti Ranch

Difficulty: Moderate
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Prep Time: 30 – 35 minutes
Special Equipment: Cast iron skillet
Serves: 3

Ingredients:

• 3 veal loin chops, about 1″ thick
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

Instructions:

1. Remove the chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

2. Rinse and dry the chops, then season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat a large, cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s literally steaming hot. Add the vegetable oil and allow that to heat up as well.

4. Carefully add the chops to the pan to avoid from splattering oil. Sear for 2 minutes on one side, then flip over and sear for 1 more minute.

5. Once seared, place the pan in the oven and roast them for 6 – 7 minutes. At this point, the chops should be a juicy medium-rare and the internal temperature should read around 135ºF.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chops to a rack or platter. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest while you make the tarragon sauce.

7. Place the skillet over low heat and scrape up the drippings from the meat. Add the flour to the pan and stir constantly for about a minute to create a roux for the sauce.

8. Turn up the heat to high and slowly add the chicken stock and white wine, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and allow the sauce to reduce until it has thickened a bit.

9. Once the sauce reaches the proper consistency, turn the heat back down to low, then add the heavy cream and freshly chopped tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and make sure the sauce is heated through.

10. Spoon some of the sauce onto each veal chop, then serve hot.