Makes about 4 servings.
Lamb - You'll need 4 nice lamb chops. New Zealand grass fed lamb is fantastic.
Onion - One large onion or a couple of smaller ones.
Garlic - About 3 or 4 cloves.
Shitake mushrooms - About two big handfuls. You can substitute other mushrooms if you'd like but for the full effect, go with the 'take!
Salt, pepper, paprika, curry, and rosemary - This should be done to taste. I usually use around a tablespoon of salt. Don't leave out the rosemary!
Glass of wine - This is optional, you can use water instead, but the wine tends to bring the flavors of everything together nicely. If using water, I recommend also adding a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar.
Chop up the onion and mushrooms. The garlic can be sliced up very thin or simply mashed.
Set a pressure cooker on a low to medium heat and add some olive oil (you can use a regular pot too but cooking will take a lot longer). Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until glassy. Add the paprika and saute lightly (don't burn it!).
Add the chops and the other seasonings. You'll want to sear the meat on all sides to seal in the juices. Add the mushrooms and a glass of wine (or water) and seal up the pressure cooker. If you are using a regular pot, you'll need to add a bit more water and then put the lid on.
Cook until the meat is very tender. With the pressure cooker, this usually means about 12 to 15 minutes of cooking (after the pressure has come up to the full level and the cooker is "whistling"). The time will vary depending on the amount of meat used. With a regular pot, you'll probably need at least a half hour of cooking. With either method, I recommend medium heat the whole way - don't try to rush it and end up burning the dish! The best things in life are always worth waiting for :-)
Once the meat is done, let the pressure drop and then open the pressure cooker. Never try to open a cooker that is still under pressure, you can get severely burned! If there is a lot of liquid and you'd like to thicken the sauce a bit, simply bring the cooker back to a low boil. Use medium heat and leave the top off so the water will evaporate. When the sauce has reduced enough, the dish is done and ready to be served.
Pair this dish with wild or brown rice. I would also include a vegetable side dish (kale, sauted peppers, zuchinni, etc). To drink, I would recommend a nice red wine or finish up with a nice stout beer.
© Pal Pocsi 2004