Lamb Loin and Chickpeas

We found a random lamb saddle in freezer this weekend. Seriously. Doesn't everyone have random things in the freezer? And we have no recollection why it was in there. But still, a lamb saddle is a great thing to have just hanging around. I took the loins off the saddle and served them over a sauté of chickpeas.

Lamb Loin with Chickpeas

A whole lamb saddle looks thus, with the loins running down the top side of the back bone and the tenderloins underneath. I took the tenderloins to work to use for a tasting menu. Because these muscles don't get a lot of exercise, they are very tender.

The Whole Saddle

And very expensive. You can see the tiny yield of meat, 4 portions, from the huge saddle. What you see below is the top loin, the bit that is the larger side of the T-bone chop, the part that is cut into New York strips on a steer. The opposing tenderloin from the underside of the backbone is the tiny eye on the T-bone or the bit that gets cut into filet mignon on a steer.

Skinned and Pan-Ready

Steaks like this take almost no time to cook. These were in the pan on super high flame for about two minutes on one side and one on the other. I sliced them after about five minutes of resting. I seasoned them simply by rubbing with olive oil, salt, and pepper before they went into the pan.

Never fear for the remainder of the saddle. The tenderloins went to a tasting menu; the remainder went into stock for soup along with all the bits of lamb that we pulled off the bones and out of the belly flaps. Nothing wasted.