Tag Archives: lamb

Mar30

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

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We love lamb. Grilled or roasted leg of lamb, lamb burgers, olive-crusted lamb chops — all delicious. However, there is something so irresistible about a simple, grilled lamb chop. I served these with grilled eggplant and cous cous with cranberries and feta.

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Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

10 rib lamb chops (1/2 – 3/4 inch thick)
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 sprigs rosemary, minced finely
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T olive oil
Lemon wedges

Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Rub the paste over both sides of each lamb chop. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking, so that they can come to room temperature.

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Heat the grill to high heat. Sear on the first side for 2 minutes, then the second side for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lamb from the heat then squeeze lemon juice over them. Enjoy immediately!

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Jun21

Grilled lamb with yogurt and mint sauce

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We buy boneless legs of lamb at Costco, cut them into three pieces, and freeze them individually. Leg of lamb is great roasted, grilled, stewed, and ground for burgers.

When we lived in San Francisco, we used to roast it. While delicious, this can leave your whole house smelling like lamb for days, and the drippings in the roasting pan are hard to clean. Now that we have a patio and a grill, we can get an even better char on the outside by grilling it, without the messy clean-up or lingering smell.

If you don’t have a grill, it’s still worth it to roast it in the oven.  Cover your pan in foil before putting the lamb in it, so that you won’t have to scrub the pan as much.  For whatever reason, lamb fat is very hard to clean. Keep a window or door open while cooking, to allow the smell to escape.

We served last night’s lamb with roasted yukon gold potatoes, cauliflower roasted with cumin seeds, yogurt and mint sauce (recipe below), and chili sauce.

Grilled Lamb

1 lb of boneless leg of lamb
2 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil

Season the lamb generously with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and black pepper. Add the olive oil and lemon juice, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Grill on medium-high heat for 12 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your lamb. (Butterfly it for quicker cooking time.) Remove from heat and rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, then slice against the grain.

Yogurt and Mint Sauce

8 oz plain Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
2 T chopped mint

Put all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Apr30

Lentil, spinach, and lamb soup

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This was super easy and a really delicious combination. I seasoned ground lamb with coriander and red pepper flakes to give it a spicy lamb sausage flavor.  It paired really well with the lentils!

Lentil, Spinach, and Lamb Soup

1/3 lb ground lamb
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt
3 small potatoes (or 1 regular sized one), diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 c lentils
1 bay leaf
4 c chicken broth
3 cups raw spinach
1 T olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the lamb, and break apart with a wooden spoon. Season with salt, coriander, and red pepper flakes, and cook until browned.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot, and saute until soft. Add the carrots, onions, potatoes, lentils, and bay leaf, and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth the pot and increase the heat to medium high. When the pot boils, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.

When the lentils are tender, stir in the raw spinach until wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Feb27

Olive-crusted lamb chops

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My parents came over for lunch on Sunday, so I thought I’d try out Anne Burrell’s olive-crusted lamb recipe, from Cook Like a Rock Star.  Make the olive paste ahead of time, and it’s an easy meal to entertain with. I served these with sauteed zucchini with almonds and crash hot potatoes.

Olive-Crusted Lamb Chops
Adapted from Anne Burrell’s Cook Like a Rock Star

4 thick lamb chops (the butcher had shoulder chops so they were big, if you use smaller chops you may want to serve 2 per person)
kosher salt
2/3 c pitted kalamata olives
zest of 1 lemon
10 springs of fresh oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place the lamb chops on a plate and allow to come to room temperature. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, blend the olives, lemon zest, oregano, and red pepper flakes in the food processor. Stream some olive oil in until it forms a paste.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the lamb, and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Sear the fat along the edge, as well.

Place the browned lamb chops on a baking sheet, and coat with the olive paste. Roast in the oven for 5-6 minutes, until medium rare.