The High-Protein Cookbook - Linda West Eckhardt [17]
Cooking time: 12 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Two 6-ounce lamb loin chops
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ small tomato, minced
¼ cup blueberry or other fruit vinegar
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup fresh blueberries
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high until almost smoking. Add the lamb chops and brown for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and hold on a warm plate.
Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomato, vinegar, broth, and cream, and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the chops to the pan with any of their juices and cook, uncovered, for 3 more minutes. Add the blue-berries and cook for 1 more minute. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.
Nutritional Analysis: 575 calories, FAT 51 g, PROTEIN 18 g, CARB 11 g, FIBER 2 g, CHOL 146 mg, IRON 2 mg, SODIUM 1,034 mg, CALC 65 mg
Menu Suggestion
Serve with Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Curls. This will add about 4 carb grams and a wonderful variation in color.
Health Benefit
Blueberries, and in fact all berries, are a carb counter’s best friend. They are low in sugar and high in flavor. And now they are shipped in from South America in the winter. They may cost a bit more, but what is your health worth?
Pan-Grilled Lamb Chops with a Cabernet Reduction and Pistachios
The bright green color of pistachios against the red sauce makes for a stunning dish with an interesting set of flavor variations. This dish is delicious with a purée of cauliflower.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 cup beef broth
1 cup cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
½ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Two 6-ounce loin lamb chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh chives, for garnish
In a small saucepan, combine the broth and wine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce by a third or until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the butter and salt and fresh pepper to taste. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios and toast in the dry skillet, until browned, about 1 minute. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the garlic and ground pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Add the parsley, stir, and remove the pistachio mixture to a small bowl; set it aside. Rub the lamb chops with the oil and reheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until the chops are brown, about 3 minutes per side or to desired level of doneness. Remove the skillet from the heat and brush the chops with a little of the reduction. Pool the remaining cabernet sauvignon reduction onto a plate and place a lamb chop on top. Spoon the pistachio mixture onto each chop, garnish with chives, and serve at once.
Nutritional Analysis: 671 calories, FAT 50 g, PROTEIN 27 g, CARB 12 g, FIBER 4 g, CHOL 99 mg, IRON 5 mg, SODIUM 1,246 mg, CALC 97 mg
Cooking Lesson
Almost all nuts and seeds are better if they are toasted first. This brings the oils of the nut to the surface and intensifies their flavor.
Cinnamon Lamb Sauté with Onion Tomato Sauce
Here’s a dish that makes its own sauce right in the pan after you’ve cooked the chops for a satisfying, all-from-one-pan dinner.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Two 4- to 6-ounce chops about 1 inch thick
Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
One 8-ounce can stewed tomatoes with their juices, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Season the chops with salt and pepper. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then film it with the olive oil. Brown them for a minute or two on each side,