Spiced Lamb Chops and My Office

Last night for dinner, we had lamb chops with a dry spice rub and a roasted carrot, pine nut and coriander salad.  It was too easy for words, so I will share the recipe.

The lamb chop recipe is from Nigella Lawson's book Kitchen.  For the spice rub, just combine:

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I'd suggest less if cooking for small kids)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

 This keeps well in an airtight jar for a good month or so, according to Ms Lawson, so I recommend making a triple batch and setting it aside.

I used Chump Chops, but I imagine any lamb chop would work.  Obviously, a Frenched cutlet or something will need less cooking time.

Take the lamb chops out of the fridge half an hour or so before cooking, if possible, and dredge well in the spice mixture.  Preheat a thin layer of garlic olive oil (or regular Extra Virgin) in a large, heavy-based fry pan, and cook the chops for about 4 minutes on each side, over medium-high heat.  You don't want the spices to burn but you need decent heat to get the deliciously crispy edges.  Keep it pink in the middle.

For the salad, roast some carrots (a dozen baby ones, pretty rainbow heirloom carrots, was about right for us) at 200 degrees, rolled in olive oil, for around half an hour or until cooked and lightly caramelized.  Larger carrots may need longer.  I did this a couple of days prior, because I had the oven on for something else.  I chucked them in the fridge, and took them out an hour or so before serving, to get to room temperature.

Cut up the roasted carrots into 1 inch pieces.  Toss them in a bowl with a large handful of torn-up coriander and some pine nuts.  I made a dressing from the zest and juice of half an orange, juice of half a lemon, three times the amount of olive oil, a dash of sesame oil and soy, and a couple of tablespoons of black sesame seeds (toasted white sesame would be nice as well, as would poppy seeds).

Tabitha still turns her nose up at most fruit (she loves watermelon, apples, pears and blueberries, and will eat all berries or banana if they are in a smoothie or mashed with yoghurt).  It seems that she dislikes the texture of fruits like peaches, banana, plums etc.

So when I keep offering a variety of fruits, she keeps trying them and spitting them out, and thus we continue.  I don't make any fuss, just keep offering them so they don't become foreign to her, and I hope that one day she will try them and actually like it!  I have no concerns re. nutrition, as she does eat some fruits, and eats all vegetables.  I trust her body to know what it needs - and, truth be told, I'm not a huge fruit fan myself, nor is my father, so perhaps it's hereditary.

Here is Tabitha's packed lunch for Occasional Care this morning (she goes for three hours, which includes morning tea fruit time and a lunch at 11:30).  She has, for lunch, avocado sandwiches on wholegrain bread, some cheddar, and for morning tea she has peaches, apple, pears and dates.

This is her favourite lunch box.  It's a cute little Bento box, the pink part is glittery and it has pictures of pigs on it.  What's not to like?!  It reads, "Life of Natural Pigs" on the lid and bag.

In other cute animal news, my newest pair of Marc Jacobs Mouse Shoes arrived yesterday.  Mouse shoes are just the most comfortable flats in the world.  These are made of super-soft leather, with gold studs.  Biker mice perhaps?

Someone asked me, last week, whether I had an office at home.  No, I do not.  This is my 'office', below - a corner table at a gorgeous cafe around the corner from Tabitha's Occasional Care.  I get quite a bit done (Breastfeeding Counsellor training and my work as a Committee member for the Occasional Care).  You can see my regular cafe breakfast - a pot of Earl Grey, a croissant with apricot jam and my laptop to the left.