Recipe: Vitello con Porcini

~ Porcini Mushrooms have a bold, rich, earthy, heady flavor ~

Bold.  Assertive and absolutely decadent.  As Fall approaches in earnest, I begin changing up the flavors in my kitchen to reflect the wares of the season and one of  my favorite ingredients is perhaps the star of all mushrooms, Porcini.  Alas, fresh porcini are difficult to find and very expensive, but I use the dried version of this culinary gem regularly.  It stars in this recipe as a condiment to roasted veal chops.

Vitello con Porcini

2 Bone in Rib Veal Chops
4 oz. Crimini Mushrooms
2 oz. dried porcini
2 pats butter
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Splash light cream
Splash dry white wine
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Reconstitute the porcini mushrooms.  Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot, but not boiling, water and allow to steep for 20-30 minutes. The longer it steeps, the richer and more heady the aroma and flavor will be.

Pat the chops dry and season with salt and pepper.  Set your over to 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, warm a large pan over medium heat and once it’s warm, add the butter and allow to melt and then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Add the Veal chops and sear over medium heat until they are nicely browned; about 2 minutes per side.   Remove to a dish and keep warm on the back of the stove.

In the same pan, add the crimini and porcini mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté until cooked.  Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and add about 1/2 of the porcini broth.  Simmer for 2-4 minutes and then add the light cream and stir through to complete the sauce.  Toss the parsley into the pan and remove the mushrooms and sauce to a warmed bowl.

~ This is the completed sauce with the crimini, porcini and cream added ~

Return the chops to the pan, place in the oven and finish the chops to a medium rare; this should take no longer than 8 minutes.  Once the chops are done, return the pan to the stove top and dump the mushrooms and sauce back into the pan to ensure they are hot.   Place the chops on warmed serving dishes and top with the mushrooms.  Drizzle a few tablespoons of the remaining porcini broth on top and serve.

~ As delicious and tender as the veal was, the mushrooms are the star of this recipe. ~

Any, repeat, any bold red wine will work wonders with this dish.  It doesn’t get much friendlier than this.  We tried two 2012 Brunello with this wonderful dish and they will be included in Part 3 of my Brunello report.  Part 2 is coming later this month.

Try this recipe. It comes together very quickly and delivers bold, heady flavor with minimal effort.   Salute!