- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- four 1 1/4inch-thick frenched veal rib chops (each about 12 ounces)
- 1 bacon slice
- 1 shallot
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 cups beef or veal stock
- available by request from butchers
- you may squeeze fresh juice from 2 large pomegranates with a citrus juicer
- Finely chop thyme and garlic and coarsely crush peppercorns. In a small bowl stir together thyme, garlic, peppercorns, and oil and rub over chops. Chill chops, covered, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Separately chop bacon and shallot. In a heavy saucepan cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Add tomato paste and pomegranate juice and boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 2/3 cup. Add stock and boil until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup.
- Heat a lightly oiled ridged grill pan over moderate heat until hot. Season chops with salt and grill 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer chops to a baking pan and bake in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into chops registers 155°F, 15 to 20 minutes for medium.
- Reheat sauce and serve with chops.