Friday, March 02, 2007

Love Me Tender

I am officially "over it."

After today's lunch of seared, coriander-encrusted lamb tenderloin, I discovered that I am over my once-vehement and irrational aversion to lamb.

For a foodie, I was a late-bloomer. The first time I ever sampled lamb, was in my dormitory cafeteria at college. "Lamb stew" was what the cafeteria called it.


I remember my reaction as if it were yesterday. I angrily threw my fork down on the floor after shouting, "This funky tasting meat went bad!"

From that day onward, I avoided lamb like the plague. I thought I would never get used to the strange and pungent aftertaste of the meat. What others dubbed as "gamey," I dubbed as, "tastes like a mixture of chemicals from the bottom sink cupboard." I tried lamb several more times since then, but each time, I was further convinced that it would take a miracle for my beef-loving-tongue to grow accustomed to the unique flavors of lamb meat.

Today at lunch, I decided to take another gamble on lamb. I ordered the lamb tenderloin, thinking, "Even if I am so repulsed to the point that I don't finish, I can always give the leftovers to someone else."

When my knife touched the blackened crust of the seared tenderloin, a clear au jus immediately began to trickle from the surface of the meat. Unlike a tough, overcooked, and jerky-like steak, my knife easily slid through the meat without the need for any roughhousing or wrangling. The lamb was so tender, it was literally "like buttah." The savory aroma from the lamb was intoxicating. The meat was succulent and substantial, and the flavors were vivacious and sublime.

My plan about taking the leftovers back home in a doggie bag had failed. I finished every single bite of my meal. After licking my lips and my lunch plate, I happily hummed some songs from "
Love, Angel, Music, Baby (L.A.M.B.)" Hey, if Gwen Stefani even lauds the merits of lamb, it has to be good!

13 comments:

  1. You used to be in my corner! I have yet to try lamb that's been tasty at all.
    I guess I will perservere!

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  2. where was this delicious lamb?

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  3. Wow--I have had a long standing aversion to lamb, given I suppose all of my experiences with it have fallen into the "overcooked" category.

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  4. hey PE, thx :) will add u on my next update :) so, u must b tt lil' birdie that sang l.a.m.b. while watching d.o.o.l while d.r.o.o.l.'.n over Lucas ye ? :P btw, luv lamb, u gotta try szechuan chili lamb with asparagus stir fry sometime, absolutely delicious :)

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  5. Hmmm....your post has got me thinking about order me up some lamb next time I go out. I've never tried it. I always stick to my yummy staple of beef. Maybe its just the amazing photos that you post...

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  6. I'm glad you've discovered the wonders of lamb! It is oh-so-yummy :)

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  7. I hope I am not a "flip-flopper," and I never used to like lamb Rachel, but it was pretty good that day!

    Oh gosh Jean, I forgot the name of the place! It is a tiny restaurant outside of SF, and I'll try to find out if I can.

    Hmm... Does lamb have less fat than other types of red meat Slskenyon? I'm not sure, but maybe that's why our lamb is always tough and overcooked.

    I love your abbreviations Melting Wok! Do you have a recipe of Szechuan chili lamb with asparagus on your site? I'm gonna go check now!

    Thanks Alegna, and I agree with you about generally ordering steak or other beef dishes. I think I was rewarded for being adventurous this time!

    Yes, Lisa, it was fantastic!

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  8. i love your initial reaction to lamb. hilarious. but! i'm so glad you have come around. lamb is so delicious, and so often i crave a good lamb curry. that piece in your photo looks divine.

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  9. What an awesome picture! And an even awesomer post! I want to reach out and eat it.

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  10. Yum, curry. I actually don't have a problem with lamb when it is coupled with a lot of spice and flavor, like curry spices. And I can easily eat lamb meatballs or ground lamb kabobs Pink Nest!

    Haha, what a cute image Elmo Monster! I can totally imagine someone reaching for the computer screen for the lamb!

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  11. hi i just discovered your blog, YUM everything looks so good! i too was a late bloomer with food, ever the eater of fine things bnever the cooker. i made lamb too this yr for the 1at time. i loved it. this looks wonderfully delicious!

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  12. You might have been a late bloomer, but you sure did bloom well Aria! Your blog showcases your impressive cooking skills!

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  13. lamb shoulder is the bomb

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