Veal Chops in Beer

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 veal chops (each about 1 inch thick, 2 pounds total)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, preferably an assortment of wild mushrooms, shiitakes, cepes, and portobellos, but cultivated white mushrooms will also do, cleaned, trimmed, and halved
• 1/4 cup blond white beer, such as Blanche de Bruges
• 1/2 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
• 1/4 cup finely minced chervil or a mixture of parsley, chives, and tarragon

Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoky. Add the veal chops and saute until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. They should still be pink inside. Remove to a warmed platter and season with salt and pepper.
Add the shallot to the same skillet and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and beer; cook over low heat until the mushrooms are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chervil.
Pour the mushroom sauce over the veal chops and serve immediately.

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