Skillet Lamb Chops

I love my Lodge cast iron skillets. They can be used to cook, or bake, just about anything. I just watched David Lebovitz make a tarte tatin in his. Some of you may be using a treasured old pan of your mother's or grandmother's, one that's been seasoned from years of good cooking. If not, a new one can be seasoned by following these simple instructions. I have two skillets; one large, one medium and a medium sized griddle. I use them regularly to bake fish, roast vegetables and potatoes, cook mini pizzas, bake cornbread, or a rustic apple cake. Last night I sauteed New Zealand lamb chops in the large skillet and served them with sauteed cherry tomatoes and broccoli. Cast iron heats evenly and holds the heat nicely so the chops cooked pretty quickly over medium to low heat. 

Greek-Style Skillet Lamb Chops

1 rack of lamb cut into chops (New Zealand or Australian)

2 sprigs of rosemary (removed from the woody stem)

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Sprinkle the chops with salt and allow them to come to room temperature before cooking. This keeps the meat tender and moist throughout the cooking process. Melt the butter and add the olive oil. When it's hot and just starts to bubble, add the garlic, rosemary and lemon and saute just until the garlic starts to brown. 

Lay the lamb chops in the pan and saute over medium to low heat for about 8 minutes on each side which should result in a medium rare chop. Cooking them slowly allows them to absorb the flavor of garlic, lemon and rosemary.

When they're cooked to your liking, place them on a platter and drizzle with some of the pan juices. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Sauteed Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

Cut broccoli into florets and steam for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in an ice bath for a few minutes. Drain well. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the broccoli and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes, or until the broccoli is heated through. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese.

You can read up on the health benefits of cooking with cast iron. They're one of the least expensive pans you can buy, and one of the safest with which to cook. You can order them on-line, or keep an eye out for them in TJ Maxx or Marshalls as they frequently make an appearance in the kitchen department at both stores.  For a rustic feel, bring the pans right to the table and be sure to have a little bread on hand to sop up the pan drippings. Delicious!

Italian-Australian Lamb Braciole

I watched Lidia, of Lidia's Italy fame, make this meal last year and I finally got around to trying it. Braciole is rolled meat, usually beef, that's pounded and filled with a light stuffing then cooked in tomato sauce. Lidia's lamb version is influenced by the Abruzzo region of Italy, where my father's family is from, so it had an immediate appeal to me. It's impossible for me to get Italian lamb at the moment so I used an Australian boneless leg of lamb, which is an excellent substitute. Their free range, grass-fed meats are delicious.

Italian-Australian Lamb Braciole:
One Australian boneless leg of lamb (I used a 1/2 a leg which is about 2 lbs.)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 cup of breadcrumbs (I used gluten-free)
Chopped fresh parsley
Sliced fresh basil leaves (4)
Pecorino Romano Cheese
Salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:
1/2 white onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded, or finely diced
2 (28 oz) cans of San Marzano canned tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
Fresh basil leaves (6-8)

Saute the onion and carrots in olive oil until soft. Add the canned tomatoes and break them up using your hands or a potato masher. Allow the sauce to simmer while you prepare the braciole.

Trim the excess fat off the lamb, then pound it with a meat mallet until it's of an even thickness.

Sprinkle with the garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and a healthy handful of grated pecorino romano cheese. Roll into a log and tie it up with kitchen twine. 

Add the braciole to the tomato sauce and let it simmer for about 1.5 hours. Add the tomato paste and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the lamb begins to break apart when pierced with a fork. Add the basil leaves right before serving.

Like Lidia, I served mine over polenta. Prepare the polenta while the lamb is cooking as it takes a few hours to set up.

Polenta:
1 cup of polenta (I used Mulino Marino from Williams Sonoma)
4 cups of water
3 tbsp butter
1 cup of grated cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the water to boil in a heavy saucepan. Salt the water, add the polenta, and stir as it cooks to avoid lumps.

Yes, you will need to continue stirring for the entire cooking time (30 minutes), but it's worth the effort. Once cooked, stir in the butter and grated cheese and pour into a baking dish to set up. Sprinkle a little pepper on top. The Mulino Marino brand comes from the Piedmonte region of Italy known for its high quality grains which produce a creamy, nutty flavored polenta.

Serve the sliced braciole over the polenta with tomato sauce and your favorite grated cheese. I can hear Lidia now, "Tutti a tavola a mangiare!"

Maria's Grilled Leg of Lamb for Easter

Maria took care of my daughter when she was a baby, and she taught me a few things about Greek olive oil and lamb. She comes from Kalamata and still has family back in Greece who tend and harvest the family olive trees. When she visits she ships back large tins of this amazing olive oil,  and I've been the lucky recipient of a few of them over the years. Before Maria came into our lives I thought the Italians produced the world's best oil, but after tasting her family stash I handed the crown over to the Greeks. She explained that a lot of olive oil has a slightly harsh aftertaste which leaves a bit of a burn in your throat after you swallow it. Not hers, it was like pure velvet going down and not a trace of bitterness. Definitely the most delicious that I've ever tasted. When Easter came along she showed me how she cut and marinated a leg of lamb in the Greek tradition, and the olive oil was a key ingredient.

Maria's Grilled Easter Lamb

One Leg of Lamb

4-6 Lemons

2 Stalks Fresh Rosemary

6-8 Cloves of Garlic (sliced)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Cut the meat off the bone by slicing into the bone, then carefully cutting if off in big pieces. Trim away any large pieces of fat, but not all of it as it adds flavor.

Then cut each half into smaller pieces by following the natural separation in the meat. Now take those pieces and cut into strips that are about 4-5 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide.

Place the lamb in a large pan to marinate. Coat with extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek. I use Ariston which I purchase locally at Pain D'Avignon Bakery in Hyannis. Add the sliced garlic, rosemary (which has been stripped off the stalk), juice from the lemons and salt and pepper. Mix well.  Leave it to sit on the counter (the lemon acts as a preservative, so no need to worry about spoilage) and turn occasionally. Let it marinate for at least 4 hours. Grill over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes for medium rare, or a bit longer if you prefer.

Allow the cooked lamb to rest for a few minutes before serving. Accompanied with  roasted vegetables and a nice green salad, it's a perfect springtime meal. Enjoy!

Rosemary Lamb Chops a la Lisa...

I went shopping today intending to buy some nice pork chops that I could prepare in the 'Milanese' style, but I came up short. My eyes landed on the Australian lamb chops, they looked good and we haven't had them in a while, so that would be dinner. Plus, I LOVE lamb.

Usually, no matter what the weather is here in New England, I cook them outside on the grille, but tonight I wasn't up for it. So I marinated them in a little extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, lemon, and rosemary (the Greek-style) and decided to broil them. I've watched my friend, Lisa, cook them this way and they're always delicious. I've also come to realize that when I grille all year long, I no longer have the special 'first grilled meal of the season' experience that signals summer is around the corner. So maybe I need to stay away from it for a while.

I let the lamb marinate for about 1.5 hours, turning them once in a while. 

Tonight's Menu:

Broiled Rosemary Lamb Chops

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

Collard Greens sauteed with Onion, Carrots and Vinegars

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/4 thick circles. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a cast iron skillet, or in a roasting pan at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Turn after about 10 minutes.

When the potatoes are golden, turn on the broiler. You can leave the potatoes on the lowest rack. Place the lamb chops on a broiler pan and cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 6-8 minutes for perfectly medium rare lamb chops. While they are broiling you can prepare the greens.

Chop 1/4 of a white onion and 1 carrot into 1/2 inch dice:

Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a saute pan and saute until tender:

Add 1.5 tsp of balsamic vinegar:

Wash and dry the collard greens. Cut off the stems and slice them down the middle. Now slice them across into 1/2 inch strips:

Add them to the saute pan:

Continue sauteing until the green are just tender.  Add a sprinkle of ume plum vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, or Taylors Toasted Sesame Seasoning.

What a combination! The slightly crunchy sweet potatoes, the tangy greens, and tender, juicy lamb chops. While enjoying each delicious bite, I thought of Lisa. She would have loved them.