Recipe: Lamb Loin Chops with Port Wine Sauce

Sometimes having a pan sauce paired with your main dish makes the meal. The trouble is that some sauces are made with heavy whipping cream; although delicious, that does mean fat and added calories.

You can cut down on the fat in sauces by using wine or broth instead.

One technique that creates a good pan sauce is to prepare the sauce in the same pan you cooked the meat in. The concentrated juices, drippings and little bits of food on the bottom of the pan — called "fond" — are full of flavor.

To make the sauce, use a heavy-bottom skillet that will hold the heat well. Sear and saute the meat or poultry until it is cooked to the desired doneness and remove it to a platter and keep warm.

Add your choice of liquids — wine or broth or both — to the pan, bring to a boil and stir, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks and should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you prefer a syrupy glaze, cook the liquids longer.

You can use almost any white or red wine, but make sure it's one that you like to drink. That way you won't waste what's left over.

Once you're done cooking the sauce, strain it if you like and finish it off by adding accumulated juices on the plate with the meat and whisking in cold butter pieces. The butter will thicken it a bit more and add richness.

If you still prefer a cream sauce, try using light cream or regular or fat-free half-and-half mixed with a little cornstarch; that will help it thicken nicely. Add these substitutes to the pan over medium heat. Don't bring to a full boil because the sauce will curdle or separate.

A good side dish match for these lamb loin chops is rice pilaf. I often use a boxed rice pilaf mix and add other ingredients once it's cooked. You can stir in golden raisins, chopped parsley and fresh snipped chives along with a drizzle of olive oil.

Lamb Loin Chops with Port Wine Sauce

Makes 2 4 lamb loin chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 small shallots, peeled, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3/4 cup port wine or favorite red wine

1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary, minced, or to taste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Pat the lamb chops dry and season with salt and pepper. In a skillet large enough to hold all 4 chops, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until nicely browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes for each side for medium-rare.

2. Remove the chops from the skillet and place on platter. Tent with foil to keep them warm.

3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive over medium heat and add the shallots. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, broth and thyme. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook about 2 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat, strain if desired, and whisk in the butter and any accumulated lamb chop juices on the platter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chops drizzled with desired amount of pan sauce.

Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

400 calories (53 percent from fat), 24 grams fat (8 grams sat. fat), 7 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams protein, 133 mg sodium, 106 mg cholesterol, 26 mg calcium, 0 grams fiber.

(c) 2009, Detroit Free Press.