Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Cherry Compote & Reduction

Cherry + Lamb + Caramelized Onions = Perfect Combination. I was recently visiting my aunt in the Bay Area. Whenever I visit, we have a fun time cooking and creating wonderful dishes. This time, she was set on trying to re-create a dish that she had recently had at a wonderful farm to table restaurant in the Portland, OR area. Our mission was to come up with a recipe that featured lamb chops with a caramelized onion & cherry reduction to drizzle on top. We did that, plus took the dish further by adding a lovely caramelized onion & cherry compote to nestle the perfectly seared lamb chops on. This proved to be the “pièce de résistance” of the dish and added such a depth of flavor when combined with the reduction that was drizzled on top.

Washington Cherries

Washington State produces more sweet cherries than any other state in the US. Our cherries are famous for their deep sweetness and bright flavor. They are grown in our sunny orchard valleys in the central part of the state. Many varieties are grown, including prized varieties like Bing and Rainier. The typical peak season for the Washington cherry harvest is late June through mid-July. June is often described as the “golden month”. The overall harvest usually starts in mid-to-late June and can run into August depending on variety and growing region.

With cherry season not quite here yet, we made this recipe using frozen, sweet cherries. They worked perfectly. Northwest Wild Foods has amazing Organic Northwest Cherries that are perfect for this recipe. For the caramelized onions, a Walla Walla Sweet (or other sweet variety) onion works best, adding a layer of sweetness to the compote. I am looking forward to cherry season, and making this wonderful recipe with fresh cherries picked off my own tree.

Other Protein Options

And….. if you aren’t a fan of lamb, you can substitute the meat in the recipe with a thick pork chop or boneless chicken thighs. Whatever the protein you choose, I highly recommend giving this a try. Enjoy!

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Cherry Compote and Reduction

Lamb Chops Nestled in Caramelized Onion Cherry Compote with a Cherry Reduction

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Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: Cherry Caramelized Onion Compote, Cherry Compote, Cherry Reduction, Pan Seared Lamb Chops

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Caramelized Onion & Cherry Compote

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Cup Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries – cut into quarters
• 1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar Use high quality, thick, sweet variety
• 1/4 Cup Dark Cherry Juice

Lamb Chops

• 1 Tbsp Tallow Can substitute with other high-heat cooking oil
• 4-6 1" Thick Lamb Chops
• Salt
• Pepper

Cherry Reduction

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Cup Dark Cherry Juice
• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
• Pinch Allspice
• 1/2 tsp Balsamic
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

Caramelized Onion Cherry Compote

• Melt the butter in a medium pan.
• Cut the onion in half. Thinly slice each half. Add to the melted butter.
• Sauté until Onions are tender and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
• Once Onions are translucent, sprinkle with the Brown Sugar. Stir to coat the Onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until light brown and caramelized, about 5 more minutes.
  
• Add the quartered Cherries. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the moisture from the Cherries evaporates.
• Add the Cherry Juice and Balsamic Vinegar. Stir and reduce for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
  
• Remove from heat and set aside.

Lamb Chops

• Season chops generously with Salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper
  
• In a cast iron skillet, melt the Tallow and heat the pan until quite hot.
• Add the Lamb Chops. Cook for about 5 minutes, creating a good sear. Flip, then cook for about another 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness of the Chops.
• Remove to plate. Cover with foil and let rest while creating the reduction.
  

Cherry Reduction Sauce

• In the same pan that was used to cook the Lamb Chops, melt 2 Tbsp Butter.
• Add the Cherry Juice to the pan. Stir and scrape bits of Lamb off the bottom of pan.
• Add the Cinnamon, Allspice, and Balsamic.
• Continue to stir and cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to about half and thickened a bit. **Take care not to over-do it, as the entire mixture can over-cook and turn to a caramelized-sticky-chewy mess.**
  
• Just before your reduction is done, at about the 10 minute mark, re-heat your compote.

Serving

• Spoon a generous portion of the compote on each plate.
• Nestle the seared Lamb Chops (2-3 per plate) over the Compote.
• Drizzle Cherry Reduction Sauce over the Lamb Chops.
• Serve and Enjoy!