Time flies faster and it seems like we just had a birthday a month ago so what’s the big deal. Our minds, filled with a lifetime of useful and useless data, don’t have room for much else, like remembering how old we actually are. (This year I had to subtract my birth year from the current year to figure it out. The one thing I do look forward to on my birthday is choosing what’s for dinner; it’s a family tradition. When the day comes, there aren’t that many things that can compete with lamb chops. So tender and lovely. Seared on the outside, rare as possible on the inside. In this recipe, we serve the chops with a sauce of mint chimichurri, a loose pesto of sorts, Argentinian, with fresh mint, parsley, garlic, vinegar and oil. Perfect for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Valentine birthdays. :-)
2 pounds lamb loin chops, about 8 individual chops, 1 1/2 inch thick 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Mint chimichurri:
3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 teaspoons) 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves (spearmint), packed 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves, packed 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup olive oil
When the pan is hot, place the chops meat-side down in the pan. Leave space between the chops, do not crowd the pan. Do not move the chops, just let them brown, about 2 to 4 minutes on each side, depending on the heat of your pan and the size of the chops. Once browned on one side, turn them over and brown the other side. Quickly sear the fatty and bone edges of the chops. Lamb is best rare (vivid pink on the inside), never more cooked than medium rare. The easiest way to test for the doneness of the chops is to press on them with your finger (see the finger test to check doneness of meat). You can also use an instant read meat thermometer. Remove the meat from the pan at 120° to 125°F for rare, and 130° to 135°F for medium rare. Some of the chops may cook faster than others, so check them as they cook, and pull them off the pan when ready. Serve drizzled with mint chimichurri sauce. Porcini and Rosemary Crusted Lamb Loin Chops from Taste Food Lamb Loin Chops with Fresh Herbs and Cognac Butter Sauce from The Hungry Mouse
