August 26, 2007

Lamb Chops with Mint Salsa

Alright, so it has been a while since I have posted and I feel especially guilty because I actually came up with this recipe back in April! Thankfully I took good notes and, well, it is pretty strait forward so this recipe should be good. It certainly was fabulous when I made it!

I was aiming for a re-make of the typical lamb and mint jelly combination. Although I can appreciate the fresh mint flavor combined with the heavier tasting lamb, I have never been a fan of the sweetness of the jelly—yuck (sorry momma). So a salsa seemed like the next obvious choice in reaching what I was looking for.

To help increase the freshness aspect, I added lemon juice and zest. The salsa itself wasn’t as potent as what I was looking for, but it actually ended up better that way. There is a lot of salsa, but the abundance of the subtle flavor matches well with the lamb by not overpowering it.

As a side dish I roasted a mixture of potatoes and tomatoes and served them on top of steamed asparagus. That recipe will follow later (baby steps, y’all, baby steps).

The following is the recipe per serving. Don’t be afraid to change the portions of the salsa ingredients to get it to your liking. Lastly, I suggest making the salsa as the lamb chops are marinating.

Mint Salsa

  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  1. Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Lamb Chops
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4-5 lamb chops, fat removed and placed aside
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Marinade lamb chops with olive oil and garlic for at least an hour.
  2. Shake off loose garlic and add desired salt and pepper to lamb chops.
  3. Rub a skillet pan with the fat that is set aside and place over medium high to high heat.
  4. When pan is heated, add lamb chops and turn over several times while cooking. Cook about 15 minutes, until well done. The fat may spit so you may want to use a shield.
  5. Serve lamb chops on a plate and top off with mint salsa.
Enjoy!

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