Veal Chops with Porcinis: Costolette di Vitello con Porcinis

cup chicken stock, recipe follows Rinse the mushroom pieces under cold running water to rid them of sand. If the pieces are small, drop them into a small bowl of water, swish them around, and let the particles settle. Immediately scoop up the pieces. Repeat twice more. Soak the rinsed mushrooms in the hot water 30 minutes, or until softened. Then lift them out of the liquid and coarsely chop. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with a paper towel, and set aside 4 tablespoons for the pan sauce. (The rest can be frozen for later use.)

Have a serving platter warming in a low oven. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Take 3 to 4 minutes to quickly brown the veal chops on both sides. Periodically slip a wooden spatula under each chop to keep it from sticking.

Once the chops are golden brown, lower the heat to medium-low and cook 8 to 12 minutes, turning once. Check for doneness at 8 minutes. Take care not to overcook them, or the veal will dry out. The interior of the chops should be blushed with pink, and they should give a little when pressed with your finger. Once they are done, remove the chops to the heated platter to keep warm.

Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, and add the reconstituted mushrooms. Stir and saute 1 minute. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and reduce to 4 tablespoons. Then turn the heat to high, add the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has reduced by half (in about 1 minute), stir in the stock and simmer 2 minutes. Off the heat add the lemon juice and the butter, and swirl the pan to create the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve immediately.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley. Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat. Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts