CookTeaser

Serves 2

A CookTale

Lamb in any form and Pasta in any form makes my eyes light up and my mouth water. If it weren’t for the carbs and cals, I could have a pasta creation every night. The great part about Pasta is you will never run out of ways to serve it. Wikipedia claims there are “thousands” and each Italian village and each region have their own. It would be a challenge to start a lifetime project to go through them all. Like “Julie on Julia”. Unfortunately at my stage of life I’m not sure how far I’d get. But it’s an interesting idea!

INGREDIENTS

4 Loin Lamb Chops
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
2 TB of Pomegranate Molasses (optional but recommended)
4 oz of Penne Pasta
8 oz of Puttanesca Sauce Recipe follows
1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano

METHOD

1. Put a pot of water up to boil. Toss in a TB of Salt. Boil the Pasta according to the package directions, about 10 minutes.

2. Heat a saute pan & add the Puttanesca Sauce. Bring it just to a simmer, & immediately add the Penne. Toss it together & cover the pan to keep it warm. It can be put in a slightly warm oven.

3. Highly season the Lamb with Salt, Pepper & Pomegranate Molasses on both sides.

4. Heat a cast iron grill pan to smoking high & add the Lamb. Weigh it down with a meat press. Two minutes to a side for rare, internal temperature, 120 degrees. Ready to plate.

5. To plate, two Lamb Chops, two ounces of Pasta, & a generous sprinkle of Pecorino Romano.

RECIPE Puttanesca Sauce

INGREDIENTS

3 TB of EVOO
3 or 4 Garlic Cloves (peeled & lightly smashed)
4 or more Anchovy Fillets
1 Red Onion (cut to a small dice)
2 28-ounce cans of whole Tomatoes
Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup pitted Black Olives (preferably oil-cured)
3 TB of Salt Capers (soaked to remove salt)
Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)
Chopped fresh Parsley & Basil leaves

METHOD

1. Heat 3 TB of EVOO to medium-high in a large deep saute pan, add the Garlic, Onion & Anchovies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Garlic is lightly golden, the Onion is translucent, & the Anchovies have melted.

2. Drain the Tomatoes & crush them with your hands as you add them to the pan, add the Salt & Pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Tomatoes break down & becomes sauce like, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Olives, Capers & Red Pepper Flakes, & continue to simmeruntil the sauce slightly thickens.

3. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste. I prefer a spicy Puttanesca. Add the chopped Parsley & Basil to the pan & gently mix.