With the acquisition of one of my grandmother’s 10-inch cast-iron frying pan with a near Teflon-level of seasoning, I now have three heavy-bottomed skillets on my stove right now.
That’s a lot of skillets to keep out at all times, but I don’t have to explain myself to Anne Byrn.
Byrn, best known for her “Cake Mix Doctor” books, has a new cookbook out dedicated to cast-iron skillets called “Skillet Love: From Steak to Cake: More Than 150 Recipes in One Cast-Iron Pan
As a dessert specialist, the Nashville-based Byrn had to include a few cake and cookie recipes, but she also takes readers through breakfast, lunch and dinner with 150 recipes, from fried green tomatoes to frittatas and hamburgers and scalloped potatoes.
I most frequently use my cast-iron skillet to quickly sear meats. Sausages, steaks and pork chops, I’ll cook entirely in the pan, but other cuts, like pork tenderloin, I’ll finish in the oven. Byrn’s recipe for lamb chops calls for cooking them in batches in the skillet and then serving them with a tomato and mint slaw. You could serve this main dish with hummus and pita bread,
Seared lamb chops with tomato
and mint slaw
The iron skillet delivers big, bold flavors, and, boy, is this recipe a great example. You season lamb chops with garlic, salt, pepper and spicy harissa before searing. (Harissa comes not only in paste form, but also as a powdered seasoning blend that you can sprinkle on lamb, pork and chicken before cooking.) The refreshing slaw of tomato and mint and a dollop of yogurt cool things off nicely.
From “Skillet Love: From Steak to Cake: More Than 150 Recipes in One Cast-Iron Pan;” serves 3-4.
8 small rib or loin lamb chops (1 3/4 to 2 pounds total)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Harissa seasoning
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the tomato and mint slaw:
1 1/2 cups halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes or quartered small plum tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, bruised and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the garnish:
Fresh mint sprigs
Plain full-fat yogurt
Put the lamb chops in a single layer in a 13-by-9-inch glass dish. Season both sides with the garlic, salt, pepper and harissa.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until nearly smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable oil to the pan. When it is hot, sear half of the lamb chops until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Do not move the lamb chops while they sear on each side. With tongs, pick up each lamb chop and sear around the edges. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb chops.
For the slaw, put the tomatoes in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the mint leaves and lime juice. Drizzle in the olive oil and add the pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
Garnish the lamb chops with fresh mint sprigs. Serve with the slaw alongside, plus a dollop of yogurt.
