Turkish Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Shoulder Chops and Carrots

Cheap Eats, Rewarms Well

I’ve never been to Turkey, but I love Turkish food, especially the way aromatic spices and sweet-tart pomegranate syrup are used to flavor stews like this one. Here the braising liquid is reduced until it becomes thick and sticky and deliciously coats the meat and carrots. For best results, buy carrots that are ½ to ¾ inch thick and 6 to 7 inches long. Serve this dish with bulgur or a rice pilaf.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 lamb blade shoulder chops (about ½ pound each)

TURKISH SPICE RUB:

• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• ½ cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 cup homemade lamb stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pomegranate molasses or syrup
• 2 pounds medium carrots of various colors, peeled and halved lengthwise
• ½ pound parsnips, peeled and halved lengthwise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

GARNISH

• ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds (see Cook’s Notes)
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves (see Cook’s Notes)
• 2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves (see Cook’s Notes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut each chop into 2 pieces by cutting between the flat side of the blade bone and the meat.
2. Rub: Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub over the chops. Let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chops (you may need to do this in batches) and brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the chops aside. Add the ginger, shallots, and onions to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the pomegranate molasses and the chops. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes, until the chops are tender. If not yet tender, continue cooking, checking every 15 minutes. Remove the chops and set aside. Degrease the liquid.
4. Add the carrots and parsips to the pan, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove the carrots and parsnips and set aside. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce until it thickens and becomes very syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the carrots and parsnips to the pan and reheat over very low heat, turning frequently.
   When the sauce forms a glaze, add the chops and turn them until they are reheated and coated in the glaze. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Place the chops on a platter and arrange the vegetables over them. Spoon over any remaining glaze, scatter on the pomegranate seeds and pine nuts, sprinkle over the basil and mint, and serve.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Goat or pork blade chops.

COOK’S NOTES:

• Instead of the spices called for in the rub, you can substitute 1 tablespoon Baharat.
• To remove the seeds from a pomegranate, cut the pomegranate in half through the stem and flower ends. Hold each half cut side down over a bowl and give it a good smack with a large wooden spoon. The seeds will drop out. Remove and discard any pieces of white membrane.
• To shred basil and mint leaves (a technique known as chiffonade), stack 2 or 3 leaves and roll them lengthwise into a tight cylinder. Thinly slice into ⅛-inchwide slices. Unroll, and you will have nice, even-looking shreds.