I try to give credit whenever I use or change another person's dish here. However, I feel things get a little sticky when you consider inspiration. There are times where I come across different ideas--maybe something on a restaurant's menu or from someone else's blog. That could trigger an idea of my own. I still try to credit this other person/place for sparking this creative urge, although at times the idea comes from multiple sources and it's hard to pinpoint the original. Another problem lies when you come up with an idea on your own--maybe something jumps into your head while picking up a piece of produce at the market or while digging through your fridge. You take this idea, create your own recipe, put the meal together and get ready to post it online. That's when you realize the same dish is posted elsewhere--a cookbook, a magazine website, etc. At this point I feel like I still want to call the dish my own since it is something that I worked on without direct input from somewhere else, but feel bad doing so when this idea was out there before. And honestly, what if I had somehow already come across this recipe out and about and had just filed it away in the back of my brain without realizing it? Was the inspiration truly mine or was it just a recessed memory?
That is the case in this recipe. I was shopping at the greenmarket the other week and came across some absolutely gorgeous leg of lamb steaks. While considering how to prepare them I decided I wanted something bright and crisp to pair with them to help balance the earthy and gamey aspects of the meat. I decided to whip up a lime chimichurri to top them off. While I was buying the ingredients I decided to use mint as the main herb as it is a traditional pairing with lamb. I prepared the dinner and it was absolutely delicious.
A few days later I was flipping through my copy of "A Girl and Her Pig" by April Bloomfield and came across her recipe for lamb steaks with chimichurri. When I flipped back to the chimichurri recipe I saw to my dismay that she also uses mint in her version to pair with the lamb.
Therefore I don't know if this recipe is actually of my own mind or if it was inspired by April Bloomfield. She is pretty much a genius, though, so I'm happy to offer up the credit to her. Either way, this is a delicious meal combining the rich meat with a bright sauce to great success. Here's my take on the recipe:
Leg of Lamb Steaks with Mint Chimichurri
inspired by April Bloomfield??
serves 2
2 lamb leg steaks, about 1/3 lb. each and 1/2" thick
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 c. mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of chili flakes
juice from 1 lime
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the lamb steaks. Add about one tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and once it begins to smoke add the lamb steaks to the pan. Sear until the steaks reach medium-rare to medium, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan to a platter and allow to rest while you make the sauce.
Mix together the mint, garlic, chili flakes and then whisk in the olive oil. The add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Serve chimichurri sauce over top of the lamb steaks.
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