When I tasted these subtly seasoned lamb chops, I was eager to have the recipes for both the marinade and sauce, created by Fred Iwasaki, chef at Zenzero in Santa Monica, Calif. His cuisine combines Asian and French cooking.
Iwasaki recommends making the marinade two to three days before using it so the flavors can marry. He also prefers to use only the peel of the cucumbers in his sauce for a brighter color and a fuller flavor, so I suggest keeping the peeled cucumbers in a tightly sealed container in your refrigerator to use in a soup or salad the next day.
I like to serve these lamb chops on rice or pasta. It makes a versatile and delicious dish and greatly lowers the percentage of fat in each serving.
ZENZERO GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH CUCUMBER SAUCE
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Marinating time: 2 days, if possible
Yield: 4 servings
One-minute marinade:
1/3 cup each: reduced-sodium soy sauce, mirin, sake
3 tablespoons each: finely chopped garlic, finely chopped fresh ginger
Cucumber sauce:
Peels of 2 large cucumbers
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
4 loin lamb chops, all visible fat removed
1. Combine marinade ingredients in bowl and mix well. If possible, allow to stand for at least 2 days before using.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in blender and puree. Pour through a strainer, pressing liquid through with back of spoon. (There will be about 3/4 cup of strained sauce.)
3. Prepare a grill or heat broiler. Place lamb chops in marinade for 1 minute. Grill or broil lamb until bright pink inside, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with cucumber sauce.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …. 204 Fat ……….. 16 g Cholesterol .. 41 mg
Sodium … 168 mg Carbohydrates .. 4 g Protein ……. 10 g
Q. The enclosed recipe was used for years by my wife. Can you revise it so that the flavor is retained but the fat and calories are reduced to tolerable levels?
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Dick Sidnam, Bradenton, Fla.
ESCALLOPED CHICKEN
Preparation time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Cooking time: 1 hour
1 roasting chicken
1/4 cup each: chicken fat, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups milk
4 cups cornbread crumbs
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup each: finely chopped onion, cup melted butter
1. Place chicken in large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook until chicken is done, about 1 hour. Cool slightly and remove chicken from broth. Reserve 2 cups broth. (Save remainder for another use.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut into large, bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard skin and bones.
2. Melt chicken fat in large saucepan; blend in flour. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly add 2 cups reserved broth and milk, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cornbread crumbs with celery, onion, remaining salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in melted butter. Arrange chicken pieces and dressing mixture in alternate layers in a very large casserole. Cover with sauce and bake 1 hour.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …. 560 Fat ………… 35 g Cholesterol .. 165 mg
Sodium … 720 mg Carbohydrates .. 16 g Protein …….. 43 g
A. I cut the recipe in half to make it a more manageable size, then eliminated the chicken fat and used margarine instead. I defatted the broth in the refrigerator and used non-fat milk for the sauce. Though it is a lot of work, this dish is so delicious it is worth the effort.
REVISED ESCALLOPED CHICKEN
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Cooking time: 35 minutes
3- to 4-pound roasting chicken
3 tablespoons corn-oil margarine
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 corn muffins (2 ounces each), crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1. Place chicken in large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook until chicken is done, about 1 hour. Cool slightly and remove chicken from broth. Reserve 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons broth, and chill until fat congeals on top. Remove fat and discard.
2. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard skin and bones.
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3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons of the margarine in medium saucepan, over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and continue cooking and stirring 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, and 1 cup of defatted broth. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper; continue to cook 1 minute more; set aside.
4. Combine muffin crumbs, celery, onion, remaining salt and pepper in medium bowl. Pour remaining 2 tablespoons broth over crumbs. Melt remaining tablespoon margarine and pour over crumb mixture, tossing ingredients together lightly.
5. Coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Lay half of the chicken pieces on bottom. Cover with half of the crumb mixture. Continue layering and pour the sauce over top. Bake until hot and bubbly, 35 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …. 395 Fat ………… 17 g Cholesterol .. 135 mg
Sodium … 740 mg Carbohydrates .. 15 g Protein …….. 43 g
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Send your recipe for revision to: Cook it light, baiduhai, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611-4041.