Ingredients
4 vine-ripe tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges, each wedge cut again in half
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (10 leaves), torn
A handful flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
4 bone-in rib veal chops, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
1 pound fresh spinach, trimmed of thick stems and washed
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
Directions
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, parsley, red onion, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and about two tablespoons EVOO. Allow the tomatoes to sit for 10 minutes so that the salt will leach out the juice of the tomatoes.
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high to high heat. Drizzle two tablespoons EVOO (eyeball it) on a plate. Place chops on plate and turn in EVOO using tongs; season both sides liberally with salt and pepper.
Once the grill pan or grill is screaming hot, add the chops and cook on the first side for five minutes. Resist the temptation to move the chops around – you want nice grill markings and a good crust on them. Before flipping the chops, reduce the heat to medium, or move chops a little off to the side on an outdoor grill for more indirect heat. Flip and cook them on the second side for 7-8 minutes, then remove the chops and let them rest, covered with a tented piece of aluminum foil for about five minutes.
Once the chops are cooked and rested, add the spinach and olives to the tomatoes; toss to coat. Serve the salad on or alongside the chops and spoon out some of the tomato balsamic juice from the bottom of the salad bowl to top each chop.
