Pan-Seared Veal Chops with Apple Cognac Sauce

8 servings

6 cups chicken stock
2 cups veal stock or beef stock (prefer homemade stocks)
4 Tbsp peanut oil
2 1-lb veal shank bone, cut into 2-inch sections
2 medium onions, sliced
6 large mushrooms, sliced
12 Tbsp cognac
4 tart green apples, sliced
4 shallots, chopped
2 small bunches fresh thyme
3 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt
8 9-oz center cut veal chops with rib bone attached
3 Tbsp peanut oil
3 Tbsp olive oil

Combine 2 cups chicken stock and veal stock; boil until reduced to 2 cups.

Heat 4 Tbsp oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add veal shank bone and onion and cook until browned, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes; do not burn. Add mushrooms and stir 1 minute. Stir in 8 Tbsp cognac, scraping up browned bits. Add reduced chicken-veal stock mixture, remaining chicken broth, apples, shallots, thyme and peppercorns and bring to boil, skimming surface foam from surface. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour to blend flavors.

Strain sauce through fine sieve into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Degrease. If necessary, simmer until reduced to 1-1/4 cup (or 1-1/2 cups). Stir in remaining 4 Tbsp cognac. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat before continuing.)

Whisk in butter one piece at a time. Add lemon juice. Season with salt. Keep warm in double boiler over gently simmering water.

Preheat oven to 375º. Pat veal dry. Season with salt. Heat 6 Tbsp peanut oil and olive oil mixture in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add chops and cook until golden brown crust forms, about 5 minutes. Turn chops over. Transfer skillet to oven and cook chops until meat thermometer registers 140 º for medium-rare, about 10 minutes. Watch closely…don’t overcook.

Ladle sauce onto warmed plates. Top with chops. Serve with onion pudding.

Serve with Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay.