By February 2027. The pregnancy news rippled through the family in the way good news does—Lily called me after she heard and we talked for an hour about what it meant for Hannah, for Thomas, for the family overall. Caleb went very quiet when he found out and then said: River's going to have a cousin. I said second cousin. He said close enough. River, when told, asked if the baby would be able to eat fry bread. Caleb said eventually. River seemed satisfied with this timeline.
The pipeline training work had expanded—I had four trainees this cycle, which was more than I'd managed before but less than I might have taken on if I weren't also running the catering and the land. The balance had become the thing I managed most carefully. Too much on any one side and the quality of attention dropped on the others. I'd gotten reasonable at recognizing when I was stretched and what to pull back from.
Made a cold-weather soup this week that I've been making variations of since the pandemic year: dried hominy, dried beans, venison on the bone from a shoulder roast I'd cut up and frozen in the fall, dried chiles, onion, a few dried wild onions. Long simmer, the kind that takes most of a day and fills the house from the first hour. I brought some to the Caleb that evening and he stood in his kitchen eating it straight from the container while River described in detail a show he'd been watching on television. Both of them seemed very content. I left more than I'd planned to.
The soup I described takes all day and I love it for that reason—but most evenings don’t have a whole day to offer. What I reach for on those nights is lamb: it has some of the same depth as venison, the same sense that the animal was living a real life before it became your dinner. Pan-seared lamb chops are the fast answer to the same hunger the soup solves slowly. I’ve brought these to Caleb’s kitchen too, and River asked if they were deer. Close enough, I told him—and he seemed satisfied with that timeline as well.
Pan-Seared Lamb Chops
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 lamb loin chops (about 1 inch thick, roughly 3 oz each)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Season the chops. Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes while you heat the pan.
- Heat the pan. Place a large cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it just begins to smoke.
- Sear the first side. Add the lamb chops in a single layer without crowding—work in two batches if needed. Sear undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip and add aromatics. Flip the chops and add the smashed garlic, rosemary sprigs, and butter to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the chops with the butter repeatedly for 2 to 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium.
- Check doneness and rest. Remove chops when an instant-read thermometer reads 130—135°F for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Drizzle lemon juice over the rested chops. Spoon any pan drippings over the top and serve with lemon wedges alongside.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 370 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 530mg