WEEK 52: YOUR BEST USE OF LEMON, THYME, AND A GRILL
Veal Chops Lombatina with Roasted Garlic
Photography by Sarah Shatz
BY THIRSCHFELD | SERVES 4
A&M: This recipe treats veal chops with the respect they deserve, highlighting rather than overpowering the tender meat. Thirschfeld employs a nifty technique of stacking the chops to flavor them with layers of lemon zest, garlic, and whole thyme sprigs sandwiched between; while the chops absorb all these great flavors, you roast whole heads of garlic and whip up a simple vinaigrette. Then it’s just a few short minutes on a hot grill (we recommend you stop at medium-rare), and dinner is served. Thirschfeld’s sage advice? “Maybe the hardest part about this is waiting for the grill to heat, but I have never found that to be too trying as long as a nice chilled bottle of rosé from Provence is on hand.”
1 bunch fresh thyme
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 2 lemons
4 veal chops, about 1½ inches thick
Kosher salt
4 garlic heads
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Freshly ground white pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Banyuls vinegar or good balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced thyme
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Spread out 4 to 5 sprigs of thyme on the plastic wrap to match the size of one of the veal chops. Sprinkle on some minced garlic and lemon zest.
- Season each side of the 4 chops evenly with kosher salt. Place one chop on top of the herb mixture and top it with more thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Place another chop on top and also top it with thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Repeat until the chops are all stacked and topped. You want all sides covered.
- Pull the plastic wrap up and over and wrap the chops tightly. Place them on a tray to catch any possible drips and put them in the fridge for no less than 6 hours and no longer than 12 hours.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Slice the top third off each head of garlic and smear them with the butter; season with salt and pepper. Place the heads in a small casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1¾ hours for an 8-clove head, maybe less for smaller heads. Remove from the oven and let them sit.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and minced thyme. Season with salt and pepper and set the dressing aside.
- When you are ready, heat your grill to the highest temperature you can. While it is heating, remove the chops from the fridge, unwrap them, and scrape off all the thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Season the chops with pepper and leave them out to warm while the grill is heating.
- When the grill is hot, cook the chops until medium-rare or medium, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Near the end of the grilling time, put the garlic on a tray and place it on the edge of the grill to warm it up. Transfer the cooked chops to a platter or plates, top them with the dressing, and garnish with thyme. Place a head of roasted garlic next to each chop and serve.
Photography by Sarah Shatz
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Thirschfeld said: “I like to use the stack and wrap method, as I call it, just to give the veal a little more time to absorb the flavors I want to pair with it. I really like to serve this dish with a whole head of roasted garlic for each diner so they can smear it onto the chop if desired.”
ABOUT THE COOK
Tom Hirschfeld is a former culinary arts instructor who now runs a family farm in Indiana.
His favorite recipe from a cookbook: “Without question there is one recipe I have never altered and don’t want to: Thomas Keller’s Moules au Safran et à la Moutarde, or Mussels with Saffron and Mustard, in the Bouchon cookbook. Just a side note: it is a crime not to serve this without one or two loaves of crusty French bread.”
His top cooking tip: “Get the best knife you can afford and learn how to use it, because it will make food prep enjoyable, or at the very least tolerable.”
Here’s his blog: Bona Fide Farm Food (www.bonafidefarmfood.com).
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
Aliwaks: “I love the stacking technique … Will have to try with my next meat dish.”
Monkeymom: “I can confirm that this is wonderful with pork chops as well. Subbed some sage for a couple of chops and that was very tasty, too. Well done, thirschfeld, and congrats on another stunner!”