The High-Protein Cookbook - Linda West Eckhardt [19]
Peppered Lamb Chops with Bitter Greens, Walnuts, and Cranberries
The spicy, crunchy crust on the outside of these chops is just the first of the flavor hits you’ll get from this one-dish dinner: sweet, salty, bitter, and sour flavors, and hot besides, all rolled into one. Who could ask for anything more?
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces thick loin lamb chops (2 to 4, depending upon the size)
1 garlic clove, cut in slivers
½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
4 cups mixed bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, and/or radicchio, washed, dried, and torn
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
DRESSING
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then film it with the oil. While the pan is heating, make small incisions in the chops with a paring knife and insert slivers of garlic. Press the cracked peppercorns into the chops, then sauté, turning only once, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
While the chops cook, place salad greens in a large bowl along with the walnuts and dried cranberries. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then toss with the salad. Divide the greens between two dinner plates, top with the sautéed chops, and serve.
Nutritional Analysis: 398 calories, FAT 28 g, PROTEIN 22 g, CARB 14 g, FIBER 8 g, CHOL 69 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 780 mg, CALC 213 mg
Cooking Lesson
Learn to read labels so you don’t sabotage yourself at the grocery store. “Dried cranberries” are just that, but “craisins” or “crannies” have been processed with fruit juice and have enough sugar in them to add an unwanted dose of carbs.
Roast Lamb Chops on Asparagus Spears with Lemon and Garlic
Locate your 10-inch cast-iron (or ironclad) skillet, crank up the oven to blast-furnace temp, and you can make a fine one-dish dinner in which flavors caramelize into one intense experience.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Zest of 1 large lemon, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler, plus juice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces thick center-cut lamb loin chops
1 large lemon, cut into 6 thick slices
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Roasted Asparagus (see below)
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and salt in a blender or food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Rub the mixture over the surface of the lamb chops. Film the bottom of a 10-inch skillet with olive oil, then cover with the lemon slices. Place the lamb chops on top and roast in the oven until cooked to the desired doneness, about 15 minutes for medium-rare. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chives, and serve. Serve glistening lamb chops alongside roasted asparagus on warm dinner plates.
Nutritional Analysis, including the asparagus: 456 calories, FAT 39 g, PROTEIN 18 g, CARB 10 g, FIBER 4 g, CHOL 66 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 636 mg, CALC 72 mg
Cooking Lesson
Since you have the oven on anyway, roast a vegetable to accompany the chops. Roasting concentrates foods’ flavors and intensifies your dining pleasure. To roast vegetables, simply cut into uniform chunks, and arrange in a baking dish. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and pop them into the ultra-hot oven until they’re crisp-tender, about 15 minutes for medium pieces (less for small pieces).
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Curls
12 ounces asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest curls
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Snap off the bottoms of each asparagus spear where