Pan Seared Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb loin chops are a wonderful, elegant way to serve lamb. They lend themselves well to a quick grilling outside, or a pan sear inside as I've done here. The beauty of pan searing is to be able to make a pan sauce which I consider a real bonus.

5 thick (1-inch) lamb loin chops

Marinade:

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary and/or thyme leaves (I used a mix)

palmful mint leaves (optional)

4 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

Pan Sauce:

1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

1/4 white wine

2 Tbsp butter

Season the chops generously with salt and pepper.

Pulse together the herbs and garlic in a small food processor.

Place the chops in a large resealable plastic bag and add the herb mixture, oil and lemon juice. I also add the leftover lemon peel - you could have zested the peel for even more flavor.

Seal the bag and massage the chops in the marinade to distribute evenly. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour or ideally until the next day.

Heat a dash of olive oil in a sturdy skillet - my favorite is a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Add the chops (with whatever herbs cling to them) and brown on the first side - about 4-5 minutes.

Flip the chops and add any remaining marinade elements into the pan. Brown the second side a few minutes until the center of the chops achieves 130F for rare (according to the USDA).

Remove the chops to a platter and cover with foil - they will continue to heat through, gaining about 5 more degrees as they rest covered).

Make the pan sauce by adding the broth and wine to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until reduced in half. Add the butter and swirl to incorporate.

Plate the chops with your favorite sides and dress with pan sauce. Serves 4.

Cook’s Notes: You can strain the pan sauce for a more delicate, cleaner presentation, but I happen to like the flavor of all those little bits in the sauce. I don’t strain normally.

If you don’t have fresh herbs you can just use Herbs de Provence or Italian herbs and it will be great. That should never stop you from making this.

Here I served with egg noodles - great with the sauce - and Swiss Chard.

For the Swiss chard, I sautéed half a purple onion with half a jalapeño pepper.

I then added the Swiss Chard and cooked it down just until the stalk pieces were crisp tender and the greens had just wilted.

Comments

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet. Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown. Set aside on a plate. Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast. Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet. Flip to brown second side. Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet a...

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Chicken Quinoa Veggie Bowl

This is a satisfying high veggie, high protein, low fat dinner for those who need comfort and fitness all at the same time. Quinoa: 1 cup multicolor quinoa 2 cups good chicken broth 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp Ajika seasoning (I used Trader Joe’s - see notes) 1 Tbsp parsley, finely minced 1/4 tsp garlic powder 3 Kirby (Israeli, or miniature) cucumbers, sliced 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (see notes) 1/4 cup cider vinegar Freshly ground pepper 12-14 grape tomatoes, sliced in thirds along their length 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced 2 Tbsp favorite vinaigrette dressing (see notes) Salad topping: 4 small Belgian endives, sliced 2 cups radicchio, torn into small pieces 2 cups arugula 2 Tbsp favorite vinaigrette dressing (see notes) 1.3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch wide strips 1/2 Tbsp butter plus 1/2 Tbsp olive oil 8 oz sugar snap peas 1 yellow pepper, cored and sliced 1/4-inch 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 ripe avocado, halved, cored, peeled and sliced...

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog