Roast Lamb Sandwich →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Roast Lamb Sandwich
Serves 2

Here’s a suggestion for what to do with the leftover fabulous lamb roast you cooked last night. Mix up some creamy, tangy, slightly smokey aioli. Chop up a few briny Spanish green olives and some piquant Piquillo peppers; add a small amount of finely chopped red onion (optional). Slice two six-inch pieces of crusty baguette lengthwise and smear both slices with a generous amount of the aioli, lay down a few thin slices of cold roast lamb, top with the olive relish and a few grinds of black pepper, close it up with the top piece of baguette. Not your average lamb sandwich! I hope you enjoy it!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

INGREDIENTS:

• A few thin slices of roast lamb

• 2- six-inch-long pieces of crusty baguette sliced lengthwise

  Smokey Aioli

• ½ cup of mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 garlic clove finely minced or grated and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)

• 1/2-1 teaspoon smokey paprika (pimentón

Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Olive Piquillo Pepper Relish

• 4 tablespoons chopped green Spanish olives

• 2 tablespoons chopped piquillo peppers

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion (optional)

Mix together and spoon over your sandwich. Enjoy!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Spice Crusted Lamb Chops →

Here’s a mouthwatering recipe for spice-crusted lamb chops using south Asian spices. Making a paste of ground spices mixed with olive oil produces the flavorful crust on the chops either grilled or pan-fried on a hot skillet. The flavors and textures of the couscous, pine nuts, and pomegranate arils combine to pair beautifully with the deliciously rich, spicy lamb. If you prefer to cook a lamb roast, rub the roast with the spice paste before sliding it into the oven. Your friends and family with thank you! Enjoy!

Spice Crusted Lamb Chops
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• ¾ tablespoon cumin seeds

• ¾ tablespoon coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• ½ teaspoon ground sweet paprika

• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

• pinch of cayenne

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 6-8 lamb rib chops

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Cut the lamb into ½ inch thick chops/

2. Grind the spices and mix with the olive oil to make a paste. Spread the paste over the chops and cover and set aside to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

3. Heat a heavy skillet or grill-pan until very hot. Sear the chops for two minutes per side. Remove and tent for a few minutes. (You can also do this on your grill.)

4. Serve with a salad and starch of your choice. This dish pairs perfectly with Pearl Couscous with Pine Nuts and Pomegranates.

5. The yogurt dipping sauce is optional. (See below.)

Wine pairing: Pinot noir, Bordeaux blends, and Italian Chiantis all pair well with lamb chops as do Riojas. You can also try Merlot, Syrah, or Rhone Valley red blends. If you prefer white wines, try a fruity Gewürztraminer, Riesling, or Viognier to go with the spicy chops.

Yogurt Sauce

• 2 large garlic cloves

• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chili

• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

• 1 cup chopped fresh trimmed cilantro

• ½ cups chopped fresh trimmed mint (or Lemon Balm)

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 cup plain or nonfat yogurt

Lamb Chops with Jeréz Sherry Vinegar Sauce →

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

These succulent Spanish-inspired lamb chops are exceptional! If you don’t want to bother with the sauce, you can simply grill them for a treat but, the savory-tangy Sherry vinegar sauce flavored with shallots, sweet-smokey pimentos, and briny capers takes the dish to a whole new level you don’t want to miss! If you’re looking for a new lamb dish that is extraordinary, you must taste this recipe. Try this dish accompanied with Iberian Roasted Potatoes and Marinated Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Green Beans to be instantly transported to the Iberian Peninsula! Buen provecho! Bom proveito!

Lamb Chops with Jeréz Sherry Vinegar Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 loin lamb chops 1 ½ – 2 inches thick

• 2 teaspoons whole fresh rosemary leaves (½- ¾ teaspoon dried cracked)

• 1/3 cup + a tablespoon of Jeréz sherry wine vinegar

• 1 medium shallot, minced

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons drained capers (to taste)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 roasted pimentos or roasted Piquillo peppers from a jar, seeded and sliced into ¼ inch strips.

• 1 tablespoon butter

Optional: marinate the chops for 3-4 hours up to overnight.

Marinade:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon each of dried Rosemary, Thyme, and Fennel ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. (Or, substitute Montreal Dry Rub mix and omit the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in the marinade.)

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy bottom skillet.

1. Remove the chops from the marinade; wipe off any excess marinade and pat dry.

2. Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet until shimmering. Add the lamb chops and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned on the outside and medium-rare within, about 4-5 minutes per side depending on thickness (120 F for rare; 125 F for medium-rare; an insta-read thermometer is helpful). Transfer the lamb chops to a platter, tent to keep warm.

4. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the shallot to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the sherry vinegar and Bay leaf and simmer for 1 minute, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth and rosemary and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat and strain the sauce (optional). Return the sauce to the skillet over medium heat and add the pimentos and capers stirring until heated through (2 minutes). Shut off the burner and swirl in a tablespoon of butter and pour over the lamb chops before serving.

Wine pairing: Aljibes Petit Verdot, a non-leathery Rioja, Red Rhones are some of the red wines that would go well with this dish.

Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/december-2007-lamb-chops-with-piquillo-peppers-and-sherry-vinegar-sauce

Grilled Lamb with Mint and Parsley Sauce →

This fresh herb sauce is inspired by the iconic Chimichurri sauce from Argentina used on grilled meats. Authentic Chimichurri is a coarse mix of oil, garlic, chile pepper, parsley, and oregano based condiment that should be hand-chopped and spooned over grilled meats. I wanted to combine the classic combination of mint and parsley with grilled lamb and was intrigued by a recipe from Mark Bittman at New York Times Cooking where he marinated lamb shoulder in a mint-parsley chimichurri style sauce before broiling it; reserving part of the sauce for spooning over. After researching several chimichurri recipes and adjusting the Bittman recipe to my taste, I decided on grilling lamb chops, making a smoother mixture than traditional chimichurri, and marinating the already tender meat for flavor for only an hour or two. Rather than wiping off all the marinade, I left a thin layer of marinade sauce on the meat when I put it on the hot grill. Wiping off part of the marinade and starting with a hot grill ensured a proper sear on the meat. The result is flavorful, succulent, juicy lamb with a richness tempered by the herbal marinade-sauce. In the spirit of the summer season, rather than serving the meat with potatoes and peas, I made a total break from my British ancestry and decided to make a fresh Corn Tomato and Snow Peas Salad to which I added some cooked orzo and feta cheese. It works well if you want a refreshingly different lamb dinner. The sauce would also work well on roast lamb, but that’s for another season.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped parsley

• 3/4 cup chopped mint

• ¼ cup fresh tarragon (or 2 tablespoons dried)

• ¾ cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons red chile flakes

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 pounds of lamb chops 1 ½ inch thick or one-inch thick lamb shoulder chops.

Preparation:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the lamb in a food processor and process until smooth and divide, reserving half the mixture to spoon on the grilled meat at the table.

2. Brush the sauce over the lamb and refrigerate. For the chops you’re marinating for flavor not to tenderize the already tender meat; at least an hour. For the shoulder, marinate longer to add flavor and help tenderize the meat; 3-4 hours or overnight. Remove the meat from the fridge at least 30 minutes to bring it to room temperature before cooking.

3. Preheat your grill to hot.

4. Remove the meat from the marinade and wipe some of the excess marinade from the meat. This will help prevent flare-ups and give you a better sear on the meat.

5. Sear the meat on the hot grill uncovered for two minutes per side. Lower the heat to medium and close the grill and cook for another 3 minutes per side for the chops; 2 minutes per side for the shoulder; or until the internal temperature reaches 120-125F for medium-rare.

6. Serve the lamb with the reserved sauce to spoon on at the table.

Serve with a green salad or the Corn Tomato and Snow Peas Salad

Wine pair: a balanced red wine with some tannins and acid to balance the richness of the lamb. Cotes du Rhone, Rioja, Shiraz, Carménère, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon are all good choices.

https://cafedelites.com/authentic-chimichurri-uruguay-argentina/
Adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015754-lamb-with-mint-chimichurri by Mark Bittman