Remove chops from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking to let them come to room temperature. Pat them dry.
Slice and thoroughly wash the leeks. They grow in very sandy soil, and sand and dirt can get trapped in all the layers of leaves, so make sure to rinse them several times. Roughly chop the leeks.
Mince shallot and thyme.
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, sweat the shallot, and leeks over low heat covered for approx. 10-12 minutes. They should be very soft and translucent but not take on any color. Turn the heat up to medium, and add the veal/beef stock. Simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes, then re-cover and set aside. The leek/shallot mixture should be moist but not swimming in stock. Meanwhile, heat your oven-proof pan over medium-high heat for three or four minutes.
Add the canola oil and heat until the oil shimmers.
Season the veal chops with salt and pepper and cook over med-high heat for approx. 3 minutes until browned.
Flip the chops over and cook for another minute, then slide the oven-proof pan into the hot oven for 6-9 minutes, depending on how you like your meat done. (See my meat doneness chart.) While the chops are roasting in the oven, add the thyme to the shallot and leeks, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat to warm up.
To serve, spoon half the onion/leek mixture onto each plate, then set the veal chops on top of the mixture and serve.