Remember when I explained that serious professional bloggers celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas months early? Can we now consider me a serious professional blogger because Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Gremolata is my way of celebrating Valentine’s day 2+ weeks early? Please friends? Miss Danielle the Serious Professional. It has a ring to it.
I know you’re all wondering… How is Miss Danielle the Serious Professional celebrating Valentine’s Day in January if she has recently had to re-brand her blog My Bottomless Ex-Boyfriend? How is it that someone who is an ex-girlfriend is celebrating a day of lllloooovvveee before all the other people who are ACTUALLY IN LOVE?
ANSWERS:
- I am in love with mah-self for starters. (That counts right?)
- Food has my <3 and who says Lamb can’t be my Valentine’s Day date?
- Chocolate also has my <3 and I don’t have to share this year.
And that, friends, makes this holiday so worth celebrating. So grab yourself and a date (optional) and a box of chocolates (not optional) and make this Valentine’s Day-Date Night Dinner. Which is not a difficult recipe to follow. You could even click “Print” and give the recipe to your husband/boyfriend/male friend/cat and HE could probably cook it just as well.
I’m calling this two-minute gremolata ’cause it’s done and made by the time you snap your fingers. Sprinkle it over a good cut of tender lamb and you’ve got a beautiful, colorful, restaurant-worthy plate full of deep meaty flavors + bright citrus and herbs + crunchy pomegranate. And all the restaurant goers you and your date want to Snapchat and Instragram your #ValentinesDayDinner to see how many likes you get. But before you get to the pictures, you’re distracted by the lamb in your mouth and then dipping it in creamy squash and carrot mash. You’re picking out all the bites with melty goat cheese, only to discover that melty goat cheese is in all the bites, so then you’re licking your plate and all of a sudden it’s empty except for a sheer coating of orange that your tongue couldn’t quite get to.
And other than the plate-licking part, I should mention that lamb is FANCY. Serve this and your date will drool a little and then he will fall in love with you. ARE YOU READY FOR IT?
Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Gremolata
Ingredients
- 4 petite French-cut lamb chops about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, fat trimmed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
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Lightly season lamb chops with sea salt and black pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add bone-up chops to the pan and cook about 2 minutes or until browned. Cook on each side for about 1 minute to brown all over. Flip chops bone-down and cook an additional 3 minutes for medium-rare or longer if desired. Transfer to two plates and set aside.
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For the gremolata: In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, lemon zest, parsley, and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Top each lamb chop with a generous amount of gremolata and serve immediately.
Carrot Goat Cheese Mash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash or other winter squash peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 4 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
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Add squash, carrots, and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes or until squash and carrots are tender and easy to poke with a fork.
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Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to puree squash, carrots, and chicken broth. Divide among four serving dishes and sprinkle evenly with goat cheese.
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