BBQ Lamb Chops with Mustard Shallot Sauce

BBQ lamb chops are always a winner at my house, regardless of the prep. LOL In this recipe I decided to try my hand at a mustard shallot sauce and honestly... it's not my thing for lamb. Others did enjoy it. The flavor pallet of the sauce overpowered my purist lamb palette that adores the simplicity of salt, pepper and garlic. It's a good sauce, though, and I think I will try it with some white fish or BBQ chicken. Give it a try and let me know what you think... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2-4 shoulder blade lamb chops or your preferred cut, of course.
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preparation:

Heat your grill to about 380-400 degrees. Season lamb chops with salt & pepper both sides and grill for about 3 minutes per side. Adjust the time depending on your grill… only you know your grill for that perfect medium rare.

Add the oil and the shallots to a medium skillet and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the Dijon mustard and the thyme. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Divide sauce evenly on the chops and serve with whole grain wild rice and a vegetable of choice.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Firinda Kuzu Pirzola - Oven Baked Lamb Chops

Slightly modified from the original recipe by Ayla Clulee at Cooking Gorgeous.

If you like tender lamb with light seasoning and hearty vegetables, this classic Turkish dish Oven Baked Lamb Chops, known as Firinda Kuzu Pirzola, is a great one to try.

In this Turkish oven baked lamb chops recipe, the meat cooks with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes along with a light mix of garlic, thyme, and chili. It is simple to prepare and gives you a complete one pan meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 - 2.5 lbs lamb chops
• 1/2 tsp salt (to rub the lamb chops)
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper - or your favorite color
• 3 medium potatoes 
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• few drops water

Preparation:

Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl. Rub ½ teaspoon salt over all sides of the chops. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge.

In a large bowl, place olive oil, tomato paste mixed with a little water, garlic, thyme, chili flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mix well and add the salted chops. Rub the marinade evenly over all sides of the chops.

Set them aside on a plate for another 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. This short rest lets the flavors soak into the meat. Keep the rest of the marinade for vegetables.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick slices. Slice the tomatoes into thick rounds or cut them into wedges. Cut the bell pepper into bite size pieces. Rub the prepared vegetables with the rest of the marinade from the lamb chops.

Spread the potato wedges on the bottom of your oven dish. Layer the peppers on top of the potatoes.

Place the seasoned lamb chops on top of the vegetables and arrange the tomato wedges in between chops. Pour any leftover seasoning mixture from the bowl over the top.

Spread everything evenly so the lamb cooks over the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 355℉.

Cover the pan loosely with foil to keep the lamb juicy. Bake for about an hour.

Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the lamb reaches your preferred doneness. If you use a meat thermometer, aim for around 140 ℉ for medium.

Remove the pan from the oven. Cover again loosely with foil and let the lamb rest for about 10 minutes. Serve the lamb chops with the roasted potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes, spooning over the pan juices for extra flavor.

Notes:

If you have time, sear the lamb chops in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side before baking. This step adds a light crust and richer flavor, but the recipe still works beautifully without it.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

BBQ Lamb Chops & (OMG) Frozen Veggies

Ok foodies.... not every meal has to be a show stopper. Quite often we are pressed for time or just aren't interested in a lot of prep. Most of the time I prefer fresh veggies, but yanno... there are days when frozen ones are just going to be on the menu. Nothing to be ashamed of... as long as you treat them with respect :-)

Ingredients:

• 2 shoulder lamb chops
• 1 16 oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
• garlic powder
• salt & pepper

Preparation:

Remove lamb chops from fridge one hour before cooking. Sprinkle both sides with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Fire up the BBQ to a medium high heat. My gas Weber on medium cooks lambchops medium rare via 3 minutes first side and 2 minutes more after the flip. Perfect every time and I never have to check. Make notes on your own grill's performance and follow your guidelines so you don't have to keep opening the lid.

Time your veggies to your grill. Perfect meat is paramount, so in my case I start the veggies while the grill is warming up. I like to cook them with just a touch of water in my Guardian Service to retain nutrients. Try to stay away from cooking veggies in a microwave... those thing mess with molecular structure of food. Be sure you don't overcook the veggies, please. Keep them nice and crisp... it adds to the food "experience"... grins.

Hey... just because this one is simple doesn't mean we can slack on quality... :-) Serve with a green salad with a homemade vinaigrette and you're set.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Kuru Fasulye - Turkish Lamb Stew - A Chef Favorite

Credit and inspiration for this lovely stew - slightly adapted - goes to

Chef Ayla Clulee at CookingGorgeous! 

Kuru Fasulye is a hearty and rich Turkish stew made with white beans and diced lamb or beef slowly cooked in a tomato sauce. It is packed with lots of flavors and is the ultimate comfort dish for cold winter nights.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups dried cannellini - soaked in plenty of water overnight (Easy button: 2 15 oz cans - drained)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1.5 lb diced lamb

• 1 large onion - diced

• 3 cloves garlic - minced

• 2+ cups fresh tomatoes - chopped

• 4 oz baby portobello - cut up

• 1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper - more for extra heat

• 1 can tomato paste

• 32 oz beef stock or chicken stock

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp cumin - more if you love cumin

• 1 tsp salt

Preparation: 

Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain the beans and place them in a pan with fresh water, cook on low to medium heat for about 20 - 30 minutes. Make sure they are still slightly firm and not overcooked. Drain the beans again, get rid of the cooking liquid, and set them aside to use later.

Preheat the oven to 355° F. Toss the meat with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place a heavy-based pan or Dutch oven on medium to high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and brown the meat.

Add onion and garlic, saute until translucent and add mushrooms. Add the tomatoes and stir in the tomato paste. Add the pre-cooked beans along with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Pour in the beef stock or chicken stock and stir well. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the beans.

Cover the pan with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the meat and beans are soft. Make sure to check every 20  minutes and give it a stir. 

Serve with your favorite toasted bread and listen for the Yummy Noises that you're bound to here around the table!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!