Lamb Shoulder Chop and Fettucine Pasta with Mint-Cilantro Pesto
Remember I said that I was cooking and eating well but there wasn't anything worth posting? This pesto recipe IS new to me and very tasty.
I picked up a package of lamb shoulder chops last week and reserved one for a meal on the weekend. Which got postponed due to all the other food I made.
Today, I salted the room temperature chop, and pan seared it, for a minute per side, on high, in a cast iron frying pan, with a spash of vegetable oil. Then, I transferred the pan to a preheated oven, and broiled it, for another 3 1/2-4 minutes, turning it once after about 2 minutes. It was still a bit pink inside and very tender.
But the highlight of the meal, was the fettucine, dressed with fresh mint-cilantro pesto. I wish I had known how good this pesto was, because I would have made it before my bag of cilantro and pricey package of fresh mint leaves ended up the worse for wear, after an extra week in the veggie crisper drawer. Bringing a big pot of water to a boil and then cooking the pasta was the most time consuming part of this meal, which came to the table in 30 minutes on a workday.
Lamb Shoulder Chop and Fettucine Pasta with Mint-Cilantro Pesto - a grating of Parmesan cheese over the pasta before serving was as much garnish as this dish needed
Mint-Cilantro Pesto - enough to dress 4 servings of pasta
1 cup packed, fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Blend mint, cilantro, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to a coarse puree in a food processor. Keeping the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and puree until almost smooth.
Taste and add additional lemon, salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Use to dress pasta, as a dip for crusty bread or as a sauce for grilled meat and vegetables.
Dessert was an old fashioned Chocolate Pudding with a splash of Kahlua. I made just 2 servings and ate one while it was still warm. The 2nd serving may not last until tomorrow. :)
PS: Occasionally I get tempted by one of the many prepared convenience foods in the freezer section of my grocery store ... like battered onion rings which only need to be baked off. I didn't NEED them, but I caved and added them to Friday's supper. Confession time: I made TWO servings and ate them both, not just the modest serving on this plate along with a chimichurri marinated pork chop, roast potato wedges with MORE chimichurri and some frozen corn.
I picked up a package of lamb shoulder chops last week and reserved one for a meal on the weekend. Which got postponed due to all the other food I made.
Today, I salted the room temperature chop, and pan seared it, for a minute per side, on high, in a cast iron frying pan, with a spash of vegetable oil. Then, I transferred the pan to a preheated oven, and broiled it, for another 3 1/2-4 minutes, turning it once after about 2 minutes. It was still a bit pink inside and very tender.
But the highlight of the meal, was the fettucine, dressed with fresh mint-cilantro pesto. I wish I had known how good this pesto was, because I would have made it before my bag of cilantro and pricey package of fresh mint leaves ended up the worse for wear, after an extra week in the veggie crisper drawer. Bringing a big pot of water to a boil and then cooking the pasta was the most time consuming part of this meal, which came to the table in 30 minutes on a workday.
Lamb Shoulder Chop and Fettucine Pasta with Mint-Cilantro Pesto - a grating of Parmesan cheese over the pasta before serving was as much garnish as this dish needed
Mint-Cilantro Pesto - enough to dress 4 servings of pasta
1 cup packed, fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Blend mint, cilantro, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to a coarse puree in a food processor. Keeping the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and puree until almost smooth.
Taste and add additional lemon, salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Use to dress pasta, as a dip for crusty bread or as a sauce for grilled meat and vegetables.
Dessert was an old fashioned Chocolate Pudding with a splash of Kahlua. I made just 2 servings and ate one while it was still warm. The 2nd serving may not last until tomorrow. :)
PS: Occasionally I get tempted by one of the many prepared convenience foods in the freezer section of my grocery store ... like battered onion rings which only need to be baked off. I didn't NEED them, but I caved and added them to Friday's supper. Confession time: I made TWO servings and ate them both, not just the modest serving on this plate along with a chimichurri marinated pork chop, roast potato wedges with MORE chimichurri and some frozen corn.