VEAL CHOPS WITH MORELS AND THYME

Ingredients:

6 ounces fresh morel or other wild mushrooms

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-4" stems fresh thyme

6 veal chops, 1-1/2" thick

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon whipping cream or creme fraiche

1/2 cup cold Thyme Butter*

salt and freshly grated white peppercorns

Directions:

Prepare the thyme butter several hours in advance or the night before.

Remove the chops from the refrigerator one hour before cooking.

Pick over the mushrooms to make sure they are free of debris.  Trim dry ends and cut the larger ones in half to make them uniform size.  Reserve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the butter and oil with the stems of fresh thyme in a skillet large enough to comfortably hold the chops in a single layer.  Sear them for 2 minutes on each side. Lift the meat off to a platter and place in the warm oven, covered with foil, to finish cooking while you prepare the sauce.

Skim off all but a fine glaze of fat in the skillet.  Add the mushrooms and saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they soften and wilt noticeably.  Deglaze the pan with wine and reduce liquid to about 2 tablespoons.  Pour off accumulated meat juices from the platter holding the chops and reduce as needed to 3 tablespoons.  Stir in the whipping cream and lower heat to lowest setting.

Stir in the herb butter one tablespoon at a time.

Serve the chops with covered with a layer of mushroom sauce.

* THYME BUTTER

Blend 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves in 1 stick of softened unsalted butter.  Refrigerate before using to thicken sauces.  This aromatic butter is more effective if made 1 day in advance.