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.

Pork and Pierogi

Pork loin chops are frankly just a bit too lean for any kind of good slow-cooking, but are wonderful for a good breading and pan-frying. Tonight, I wanted to make them in a way I hadn't tried before, so I figured a good, logical way to make this work was to bring some mustard to the plate. I wanted it to permeate the dinner, so I figured why not add it at the source and not after the fact, and incorporate it into the breading process. 
I'm not much for sharing a "recipe" (perhaps because I generally don't look at them much), but this one is simple enough to share at least the basics, and worth me doing so in case I decide to give it another whirl. 


I brought out the basics - the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs - and while I usually add flavor into the dry stations, I decided this time to add a bit to all 3. I pretty well always add a bit of salt and ground pepper to the flour. Done. And I always keep unseasoned breadcrumbs around. You never know what you are going to cook, right? So why keep only some cardboard tube of Italian seasoned stuff on hand? I mean, the seasonings are likely old, and someone else's idea of "good," to boot. I added some ground mustard, ground cumin, and onion powder to mine tonight, and that combination would have failed in the face of basil and who knows what else in the usual mix. To the egg, I added some prepared spicy brown mustard (although I'd considered a spicy Dijon I had on hand, too). 


The loin chops were a bit thick on the cut (typically we pick up the big loin and I cut my own at home; this time I was relying on the local grocery store), so I butterflied them, gave them a light pounding, breading, and bath in the oil until "light-golden-brown-and-delicious." It is important to watch the heat with such lean meat; too much, and you get brown and under-cook, too little, and you may get a juicy middle with a charred outside. I suppose I mention this for those who fear frying foods. Most of the oil stays behind if you are doing it right, folks - don't fear the vegetable oil!


I confess that part of the motivation for cooking the pork was to have something (other than kielbasa) to go along with the frozen pierogi I had picked up last week. I'm a sucker for those things, and have long considered them quick comfort food. This batch was filled with a spinach and feta blend, something a bit unusual, but really pretty tasty. I think I may need to step up my game (on a night when I have more time for prep work) and make some from scratch, but time is what it is. I added in some spinach to round out the meal, and it ended up being a nice, simple way to spend the first Monday of 2012.


The verdict


Simple and tasty. I'm a sucker for crispy pierogi cooked in butter any day, but served alongside some juicy pork warmed my soul as much as my belly. The cumin really drew the mustard flavors up through the breading. I think I might consider a whipped goat cheese alongside this next time I make it. I couldn't help but think that it would have been a nice addition. 


Tonight was one of many recently where I had thought about opening a bottle of wine for myself to enjoy with dinner. My wife is pregnant, and I'm trying to be supportive of her abstinence. (But man, I sure do miss the grape!) That said, I'm not really sure what I would have opened tonight. If you have bothered to read this, I'd love suggestions.