I had some gorgeous lamb chops I wanted to cook for New Year’s Eve and went looking for a recipe. It wasn’t difficult to choose; this one from Janet Mendel for Food and Wine magazine has been around for years with over 2,000 5-star ratings! Numerous comments stated it was the best lamb they’d ever had. The sizzled garlic balances the richness of the lamb and works well with the lemony sauce. And the fact that it’s quick, easy, and sophisticated makes this a keeper for certain. Happy New Year!
8 (1/2-inch-thick) lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds fatty tips trimmed)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried thyme
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
10 small garlic cloves, halved
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. minced parsley
Crushed red pepper
Season lamb with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with thyme. In a very large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add chops and garlic, cook over medium high heat until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn chops and garlic. Cook until browned and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes more for medium rare.
Transfer chops to plates, leaving garlic in the pan. Add water, lemon juice, parsley, crushed red pepper to pan and cook, scraping up brown bits, until sizzling, about 1 minute. Pour pan sauce over chops and serve. Serves 4.
Note: My chops were twice as thick (at least 1 inch) and needed more time. Because I didn’t want to burn the garlic I added it later when I turned the chops.
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