Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Rosemary Lamb Chops a la Lisa...

I went shopping today intending to buy some nice pork chops that I could prepare in the 'Milanese' style, but I came up short. My eyes landed on the Australian lamb chops, they looked good and we haven't had them in a while, so that would be dinner. Plus, I LOVE lamb.

Usually, no matter what the weather is here in New England, I cook them outside on the grille, but tonight I wasn't up for it. So I marinated them in a little extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, lemon, and rosemary (the Greek-style) and decided to broil them. I've watched my friend, Lisa, cook them this way and they're always delicious. I've also come to realize that when I grille all year long, I no longer have the special 'first grilled meal of the season' experience that signals summer is around the corner. So maybe I need to stay away from it for a while.


I let the lamb marinate for about 1.5 hours, turning them once in a while. 

Tonight's Menu:
Broiled Rosemary Lamb Chops
Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
Collard Greens sauteed with Onion, Carrots and Vinegars

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/4 thick circles. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a cast iron skillet, or in a roasting pan at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Turn after about 10 minutes.



When the potatoes are golden, turn on the broiler. You can leave the potatoes on the lowest rack. Place the lamb chops on a broiler pan and cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 6-8 minutes for perfectly medium rare lamb chops. While they are broiling you can prepare the greens.

Chop 1/4 of a white onion and 1 carrot into 1/2 inch dice:



Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a saute pan and saute until tender:


Add 1.5 tsp of balsamic vinegar:


Wash and dry the collard greens. Cut off the stems and slice them down the middle. Now slice them across into 1/2 inch strips:


Add them to the saute pan:


Continue sauteing until the green are just tender.  Add a sprinkle of ume plum vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, or Taylors Toasted Sesame Seasoning.


What a combination! The slightly crunchy sweet potatoes, the tangy greens, and tender, juicy lamb chops. While enjoying each delicious bite, I thought of Lisa. She would have loved them.



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