Buttery Chops with Vegetable Assortment

A plump, juicy lamb chop, one of the most beautiful cuts of meat ever devised, is something I cherish when in my possession and once it's actually in me. Unfortunately, lambs are something that most people, including myself, don't eat nearly enough of in order to appreciate their tremendous flavor. In the homeland, most Americans, I would dare to say, treat the lamb as an inferior animal, unfit for and undeserving of our consumption. In other parts of the world, however, lamb is an everyday meal, a roadside treat, or a revered delicacy. Recently, my mother did her part to sustain the languishing American lamp-chop-producing industry. She brought home five thick lamb chops to feature in the night's supper. I applaud her for the support.

My mother assumed the tall task of preparing the chops. After applying a routine spicing of salt and pepper to the meat, my mom added a substantial pad of butter and a drizzling of Extra-Virgin olive oil to a heated pan. Remember, this is no time to skimp on the butter in some dedicated attempt to "eat healthy"." If you've committed to eating an animal, properly honor the beast by savoring its delicious, life-giving qualities. It deserves nothing less. Mom simmered the chops on medium heat, flipping them only once after about 10 minutes of pan-time. Lamb meat, like cow meat and pig meat, is best cooked on the rare side. These beauts came out perfectly thanks to the experience of a veteran chef.

I'm so caught up in the splendor of lamb meat that I almost forgot to describe the side dishes. Vegetables also get an undeserved bad rap from too many of my fellow citizens, for two reasons. One, fresh products are often hard to come by and/or expensive. Two, too many people overcook their precious bounty or otherwise prepare it in a manner that fails to match its true taste potential. Vegetables, to me, are an overlooked and under-appreciated delight and Mom cooked lots of them that night. Headlining the delicious display were oven-roasted sweet potatoes with onions and cumin. These were accompanied by boiled green beans, sauteed asparagus, a hefty helping of the trusty squash casserole, and a broccoli salad, a stream-of-consciousness creation of Mom's. Disperse a potion of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, and cilantro over a large bowl of diced shallots, capers, roasted red peppers, and boiled broccoli, and mix thoroughly. It turned out delicious, just like the rest of the meal. One final note: an honest dollop of mint jelly is an obligatory accompaniment to every bite of lamb. Here is the final picture:

Actually, here's the final picture: