Pan-seared Goat and Lamb Chops

I'm back. I was away from the blog, and for some stretch of time, my kitchen as well. I'm sure I'll find the time and the right words to write about why in the future, but for now, I will keep my focus on tonight's dinner.


I'm not usually one for keeping things all that long in the freezer, but at the end of last farmers' market season, we purchased some frozen goat chops, and I have not had the chance to cook them until today. The goat came from Mint Creek Farm, and even though I'd had it frozen this whole winter, it was still amazing. Since I had just 4 rack chops to work with, I picked up some lamb this weekend at the local Dominick's grocery store, just to be sure I kept plenty of protein on the table. Although we had some warm weather again in Chicago today, I was not ready to brave the strong winds for grilling. And frankly, I had something better in mind anyway.


I pan-seared the chops in some butter, with a simple sprinkling of kosher salt, pepper, and a bit of oregano. Once seared, I quickly sauteed a couple of larger shallots in the remaining butter and pan drippings, deglazed with the wine I was serving, reduced somewhat, and then thickened  with a bit of au jus and corn starch I had on hand. I did not smother the succulent meat, but rather served the shallots on the side. No need to bury good meat, even if the sauce is delicious.


I got lazy with the veggies, and served up some microwave-in-the-bag asparagus. I just don't feel guilty about such indulgences, as it is not easy getting dinner on the table in about 35-40 minutes on a weeknight, especially after a challenging work day. I was equally lazy, but more inventive, with my starch. I added a bit of goat cheese, crushed pistachios, and raisins to some rice (again, with just a dash of salt, pepper, and oregano). It was incredibly easy to put together, and may become a recurring side dish in our house after tonight.


The verdict


The lamb was pedestrian, I felt. Tasty, yes, but unremarkable. Even though the goat had been frozen for months, it still tasted fresher than the lamb. Had the lamb been the only thing on the table, I would have been disappointed in the meal, frankly. But the goat was succulent, perfectly cooked, tender, and my wife and I were both licking our fingers and gnawing on the last bits of meat clinging to the bones. The shallot/wine reduction was an excellent complement for both meats, but the simplicity of the meat (specifically, the goat) would have been more than acceptable. 


The rice was a huge hit, and I don't know how I managed to leave the table without a more gluttonous rendezvous with that dish. Crushing the pistachios was the right call, as it kept the consistency just right. Had I left the nuts whole, I think some of the joy would have faded in the excessive chewing. The goat cheese was a perfectly logical marriage with the main course, and blended well with the sweetness of the raisins.


The wine was fairly good, although I was hoping for a bit bigger flavor. But my choice was based in part on the fact that I'm still not indulging in much wine as my wife nears her due date for our second child; I just grabbed something that looked passable with less thought than I would like to admit. It did extremely well in the sauce, however. I've not had much Côtes-du-Rhône in recent times, but this one was in on hand and ready to go, so it fit the bill well enough.


I can't wait for the Andersonville Farmers' Market to return so I can get my hands on more goodies, and this meal reminded my of why I love it so darn much. For our family, urban life makes us appreciate the fruits of the land and the labors behind them all the more, and such markets give us a few hours a month to come at least a little closer to our food sources. It makes it feel worthwhile to spend the extra money to know that we are helping keep smaller food producers viable, and I can't wait to put more goat dishes on the table this summer as we do our part, as the consumers, to keep such organic, smaller-scale producers in the game.

Back to the Grill

I had a few days away; away from the blog and away from the grill. Mostly, I had a rough week at work, largely due to the erratic weather and power grid, and as a result, had little time to write, to cook, and on most days, no inclination to do anything because it was too blasted chilly for June.

I kept things simple for Sunday dinner, mostly because I have bigger plans for Monday, but also because the grill needed a good cleaning and that was time I could not spend on prep. Early in the afternoon, I cooked up some small red potatoes for a dill potato salad (with lots of chopped Claussen's and dill weed). I soaked some cheddar/jalapeño brats in some Goose Island ale, and left thing alone as I enjoyed time with the family.

The great treat was not the two items that took prep work. It was the asparagus that took almost no effort at all (not that any part of this meal was laborious). A quick pass through some butter, a shot of garlic salt and black pepper, and they went on the grill alongside the brats. The key to good asparagus, in my opinion, is to keep them from going completely limp. I find too many cooks want so badly to have beautiful grill marks on them, perhaps to prove they are grilled, that they overcook the poor veggies into a limp and bitter mess. I pull mine as soon as they begin to droop when lifted in the middle of the stalk with a pair of tongs. Another smattering of butter, garlic salt, and pepper (just in case any of them were missed, of course), and they were ready for the table.

Verdict

Not much more to say. The brats were good. I like sauerkraut on most any grilled sausage, so I added a bit, and it worked pretty well with the jalapeño. My wife can't stand the kraut, so she went without. The potatoes were predictably good. The star, as I mentioned, was that asparagus. Still just a bit firm, but fully cooked and warm throughout, just enough butter and seasoning - I am just sad that we didn't have more.

On a side note, our daughter has returned to eating fish at mealtimes again. She love smoked salmon, it seems, and ate it with some regularity until just around her second birthday. Now, after some time away, she's back. Maybe this means she will start trying other foods again, and maybe I can get her to eat more of what I cook instead of the usual fare she's settled on...