Day 21

I am so glad I am not a vegetarian. However, it has recently come to my attention that I would love to own a baby pig one day because they are insanely cute (baby piglet picture here)....and while this did cross my mind as I was searing my pork chop, I quickly forgot about their cute little noses and remembered how delicious they taste. I might go to hell.  We also made veal today. Seriously... I might go to hell.

Cotes de porc charcutière avec pommes purée.

Pork chop:

Pork chop

Butter 

Salt and pepper

Sauce:

Onions

White wine vinegar

White wine

Bouquet garni- thyme, bay leaf

Peppercorns

Veal Stock

Gherkins- Julienned

Dijon Mustard

Butter

Salt

Pureed potatoes:

Potatoes

Butter

Cream- reduced

Salt and Pepper

Method:

Begin by making potatoes because these take the longest and can be held until needed. 

Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft. Push through food mill or a china cap. Whisk in butter and cream until desired consistency. Cream should be hot and reduced prior to adding it to the potatoes. 

Season with salt. 

Next, season the pork chop and sear it in an oiled pan over high heat. A few minutes per side should be fine. Place pork chop on a pan and finish cooking it in the oven at about 375 degrees until it is cooked through. When it is finished it will be firm to the touch and 142 degrees at medium. 

Prepare the sauce in the pan you seared the pork chop in. Add a little oil if needed. Sauté onions.  Add a splash of white wine vinegar and about 1/2 a cup of white wine and reduce to 'au sec.' Add bouquet garni and add about 8 ounces of veal stock and reduce to 'nappe.' Add dijon mustard. Strain. Finish with a little butter and stir in julienned gherkins. 

Remove pork chop from oven. Plate the mashed potatoes and finish with sauce. 

Escalope de veau a la creme petits pois a la francaise. 

Veal Scaloppine in a mushroom cream sauce:

Veal

Flour

Oil

Sauce:

Butter

Button mushrooms- sliced

Cognac

Brown veal stock

Cream

Salt and Pepper

Petit Peas:

Bacon

Oil

Pearl onions

Sugar

Peas

Boston Lettuce- shredded

Method:

Pound the veal using a meat mallet until about 1/8 of an inch thick. Season veal and dredge in flour. Saute in an oiled pan over medium heat until just browned. Remove veal from pan and set aside. 

To prepare sauce,  add mushrooms to pan. When browned, flambe with cognac. Reduce. Add veal stock and reduce. Add cream, bring to a simmer, and add veal back to the pan to finish cooking. Finish sauce with finely chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 

To make the peas, begin by rendering bacon fat over medium heat until bacon is crispy. Add boston lettuce and peas. Sauté until lettuce is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. 

Serve veal with pommes puree (see above recipe) and petit peas.