LAMB CHOPS FOR STOVE TOPS

                         

                                    Prep time: 1 hour dry marinade

                                    Cook time: 6 minutes, approx.

                                    Serves: 2 or 4

            A good lamb chop is a carnivore’s delight. There are a million ways to deal with lamb. This recipe is based on simplicity, but with huge up-side potential in flavor.

            For those of you who favor racks of lamb, I have news for you. A rack of lamb is more about presentation than good eating. The reason is that racks are cut so the tenderloin piece is removed. The only meat on a rack of lamb is the piece of strip loin which is not as tender as the tenderloin. Much better are the “loin lamb chops” that have a piece of tenderloin and a piece of strip loin, analogous to a beef T-bone or Porterhouse steak. Also, this dry marinade works best when all sides of the chops are covered. In a rack of lamb, the inner meat doesn’t get exposed to the great flavorings. This marinade, however, enhances any lamb cut. The thickness of the chops is not crucial, although it influences cooking time.

MUSIC: I Left My Heart in San Francisco, or I Wanna Be Around by Tony Bennett, or anything with Sting (solo albums, or The Police). If you prefer classical, try Shostakovich or Prokofiev string quartets. They are challenging but beautiful!

HERE’S ALL YOU NEED:

1. Lamb loin chops (4)
2. olive oil, high grade extra virgin, about 2 or 3 tablespoons
3. garlic, 1 clove, minced
4. thyme, fresh or dried, 1 heaping tablespoon at least
5. rosemary, fresh or dried, 1 heaping tablespoon at least
6. kosher salt
7. pepper

HERE’S WHAT TO DO:

• Crush the herbs quickly in a mortar and pestle to bring out their flavor.
• Place chops in a bowl and add olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Leave at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Thirty minutes is the minimum if you are in a hurry. Stir occasionally. Cover the bowl if you don’t want to be enticed by the lovely aromas.
• Cook chops on medium high heat (skillet, broiler or outdoor grill—I prefer a skillet on the stove top). Cook to desired degree of doneness and give some direct heat to all sides, including the bone. I like mine rare, but medium rare is acceptable. Any more gets tough and dry. For rare, usually about 4 to 5 minutes, assuming you have room temperature chops to start with. Doneness is largely by feel, i.e. how firm the meat is becoming. Cooking tongs work beautifully to test doneness and to move the chops around.

CADENZA: serve with carrots rosemary (see blog), roasted parsnips and red peppers, or pasta with a creamy sauce.

ALTERNATIVE: Use herbs de Provence instead of thyme and rosemary.

WINE: This calls for your biggest red. California Cabernet sauvignon; Australian Shiraz; or, best of all, a big French Bordeaux.