Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Broccolini and Shitake Mushrooms

For lunch today, I tried making lamb chops for the first time. I don't know why I haven't thought of doing that before. It's another of those things that is so quick and easy to cook, that it's perfect for lunches at home. For sides, I sautéed broccolini and shitake mushrooms (separately). Here is how it went down.



I figured the easiest way do do lamb chops would be a quick pan sear. I rubbed them lightly with olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, them let rest for a moment while I heated the pan.

I trimmed the broccolini and crushed and chopped a glove of garlic. I also prepped the baby shitake mushrooms (not shown) by removing the stems, which may not have been necessary, as young as they were, but I did so anyway.


I used a small cast iron skillet for the chops, heating it well before adding just a tiny bit of olive oil. The lamb chops went into the pan and stayed on the first side for about 4 minutes before I flipped them to the other side and cooked for another 2 minutes. I realized, as I flipped them, that either my heat was too high or I had left them too long because rather than just a good sear, they had actually begun to look fried. Maybe it was the extra bit of olive oil...


As the chops were cooking, I sautéed the broccolini with red pepper flakes in olive oil in a separate pan at medium high heat for a few minutes, adding the garlic almost at the very end. A sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh pepper finished it off.


As soon as the lamb chops were done, I removed them from the skillet and let them rest for a moment while I added a dab of butter and the mushrooms to the same pan, letting them soak up some of the pan flavor that the lamb chops had left, then returned the chops to the pan for one final sweep though the mushroomy butter reduction that was forming.


The verdict?

I overcooked the lamb chops. Not to the point of inedibility, but just enough that they were completely cooked through, with not a bit of pink in the inside. I know now what to do better next time. Less time on the first side, cook less than I think I should if I want medium rare, then let it rest to finish, and really... they let off enough of their own fat that other than that first rubbing with oil, I don't think any extra is necessary.


Anyone have suggestions for how I could have done this better?  I'd love to try it again soon.

The broccolini and mushrooms were delicious and needed no tweaking.

1 comments:

Leslie February 4, 2010 at 3:39 PM  

Looks delicious, regardless. I looove broccolini, too. Fun to say and eat.

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