Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [195]
Vegetable oil
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Turn the chops on both sides in the grated Parmesan, pressing the chop firmly against the crumbs, using the palm of your hand to cause the cheese to adhere well to the meat. Tap the chops gently against the plate to shake off excess cheese. Dip them into the beaten egg, letting excess egg flow back into the dish. Then turn the chops in the bread crumbs, coating both sides, and tap them again to shake off excess.
2. Pour enough oil in a skillet to come ¼ inch up the sides, and turn on the heat to medium. When the oil is very hot, slip as many chops into the pan as will fit without crowding. As soon as one side forms a nice, golden crust, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, turn the chop, and sprinkle salt and pepper on the other side. As soon as the second side has formed a crust transfer to a warm platter, using a slotted spoon or spatula. Repeat the procedure, slipping more chops into the pan as soon as there is room for them. When all the chops are done serve promptly.
Ahead-of-time note You can prepare the chops up to this point as much as 1 hour in advance or, if you refrigerate them, even 3 or 4 hours. If refrigerated, allow enough time for the meat to return to room temperature before cooking it.
Note If the chops are as thin as directed, they will be cooked in the time it takes to form a crust on both sides. If they are much thicker, they need to be cooked a little longer.
Lamb Chops Pan-Roasted in White Wine, Finished Marches Style with Egg and Lemon
LIKE THE FRICASSEED chicken in this recipe, this dish is finished with an uncooked mixture of beaten egg yolk and lemon juice that thickens on contact with the hot meat. It comes from the central Italian region known as The Marches.
For 4 to 6 servings
1 cup onion sliced very thin
⅓ cup, about 1½ ounces, pancetta, cut into thin julienne strips
1 tablespoon lard OR vegetable oil
2½ pounds loin lamb chops
Whole nutmeg
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 cup dry white wine
1 egg yolk (see warning about salmonella poisoning)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Choose a sauté pan that can subsequently accommodate all the chops without overlapping, put in the onion, pancetta, and lard or vegetable oil, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the onion, stirring, until it becomes colored a pale gold, put in the lamb chops, and turn up the heat to medium high. Brown the chops deeply on both sides, expecting in the process to see the onion becoming colored a dark nut brown.
2. Add a tiny grating of nutmeg—about ⅛ teaspoon—salt, and liberal grindings of pepper. Add the white wine and while it simmers for about 10 or 15 seconds, quickly loosen the browning residues from the bottom of the pan, using a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down to cook at a slow simmer, and cover the pan, setting the lid on slightly ajar.
3. Cook for about 1 hour, until the lamb feels very soft when prodded with a fork. If during this period you should find that the liquid in the pan becomes insufficient, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water as needed.
4. When the chops are done, remove from heat, tip the pan, and spoon off most, all but 1 or 2 tablespoons, of the fat they have shed. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg yolk with the lemon juice, then pour it over the chops. Turn the chops to coat both sides, then transfer to a warm platter with all the contents of the pan, and serve at once.
Lamb Stew with Vinegar and Green Beans
For 6 servings
1 pound fresh green beans
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes, with the bone in
½ cup chopped onion
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
½ cup good red wine vinegar
1. Snap the ends off the green beans, wash them in cold water, drain, and set aside.
2. Choose a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron enameled pot that can accommodate all the meat and green beans. Put in the olive oil, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the oil is hot, slip in as many pieces of lamb as will fit loosely,