Entrée: Italy – Vitello Alla Oscar (Veal Oscar)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 13 min

Additional 2 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

4 veal chops (6–8 oz / 170–225 g each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
1 / 2 lb (225 g) asparagus, trimmed and cut into tips
6 oz (170 g) lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
Lemon wedges
Hollandaise (classic or blender method)
3 egg yolks (or use pasteurized yolks)
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and hot
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Salt and cayenne or white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Season veal chops with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and 1 tbsp butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chops 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer skillet to oven and roast 5–8 minutes until internal temperature reaches desired doneness (veal is best at medium-rare to medium). Remove chops and keep warm.
3. While chops roast, blanch asparagus tips in boiling salted water 1–2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp; shock in ice water, then drain.
4. Gently warm crabmeat in a small pan with a squeeze of lemon and a pat of butter, keeping lumps intact.
5. Make hollandaise: in a heatproof bowl whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until thickened. Place over gently simmering water (double boiler) and whisk while slowly drizzling in hot melted butter until sauce is thick and smooth; season with salt and a pinch of cayenne. (Or use a blender hollandaise: blend yolks and lemon, slowly pour in hot butter while blender runs until emulsified.)
6. To serve, place a chop on each plate, top with asparagus tips and a spoonful of crabmeat, and finish with a generous spoonful of hollandaise. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.