Saucy, Spicy Lamb Heart

 

Lamb hearts are, predictably, bigger than chicken hearts but smaller than beef hearts, so they’re kind of a happy medium: they have a rich lamby flavor but are still quick and easy to cook like smaller hearts are. This recipe shows off the ease and versatility of this cut of meat. You don’t have to roast it for hours or hide it in something elaborate: just pan-fry it with some butter and spices, and you have a delicious protein source to throw on top of a salad or starchy side dish.

This recipe is from my organ meat cookbook, It Takes Guts.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 lamb hearts, cleaned (see page 000)
  • ¼ cup blanched almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons coarsely ground sea salt
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) grass-fed unsalted butter
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 1/3 cup chicken or beef bone broth (page 000)

For serving:

  • 5 cups arugula
  • 1 lemon wedge
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Instructions:

  1. Pat the hearts dry and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Mix the flour, salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper together in a medium bowl. Dredge the heart pieces in the flour mixture.
  3. Heat the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. When it’s hot, place the heart pieces in the pan and pan-fry them for 4 minutes per side, until cooked through (you can cut a piece to ensure that’s firm and cooked on the inside); turn the pieces over carefully with tongs so you don’t break off the crust.
  5. Add the diced onion to the pan and allow them to soften for about 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, and turn the heart pieces until they’re coated. Let the sauce reduce for 3 to 4 minutes, until it has a gravylike consistency. Then plate on top of a bed of arugula, and top with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper, if desired.

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