Saturday, July 28, 2007

lamb, bam, thank-you ma'am

We waited all week to make use out of a bunch of lamb loin chops we had in the freezer and got to thinking about all the ways we could showcase this beautiful cut of meat. We had an itch for some indian flavours and since lamb is a staple in indian cooking, it was a perfect combination to put together.

A simple grilling preparation with some s&p and fresh rosemary was just what the doctor ordered. An indian-inspired sauce drizzled all over the hot chops would make the perfect finale, so Dina got to work prepping the sauce.

Masala Cream Sauce

This sauce was inspired by Vij's Fenugreek Cream Curry.

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp lemon juice

1. In a pan, sautée garlic in oil until lightly browned.
2. In a separate bowl, combine cream, spices and lemon juice.
3. Add cream mixture to pan and stir on low to medium heat for a few minutes.
4. Make sure the heat is not too high, or else the cream will separate.
5. When sauce slightly thickens, turn off the heat.

We drizzled the hot sauce over the chops right when they came off the grill. The result was delectable—mild and aromatic from the cream and Indian spices and the delicious grilled flavour of the chops.

And...the chops were cooked to perfection! High heat for 3-4 minutes on each side for a slightly seared exterior and a perfectly pink and juicy interior.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Take a look at the first picture, observing how Tastespotting cropped it to link to your website. Tilt your head. The lamb chop looks like a cooked head. The peppercorn is the eye. It was really unnerving.

dina (Lucas' mom) said...

Hhahahah we saw that too! Should we sell it on ebay??

tortillion said...

a DELICIOUS cooked head.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how much background or experience you have with indian cuisine (not knowing whether when your site says that Dina is Indian, if it means native or eastern) but spice is essential in indian food. and just important is when you add it to the pan. I love a good easy masala, but when you take the time to cook them properly you can really tell the difference...from a fellow foodie!