Tasty Lamb Recipe

Since it is the season of lovely spring, I thought I would pass along a tasty lamb recipe. Enjoy with cherry tomatoes with chopped flat-leaf parsley and bathed in a good balsamic vinegar, grilled flatbread, some slices veggies a couple of cheeses and voila - a lovely meal. Goes well with a light-bodied red as well, perhaps a Tempranillo or Malbec, or a Carmenere from Chile. You can substitute a nice, creamy hummus for the dipping sauce to make things more of a quick-fix.

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Roasted Garlic and Shallot Yogurt Sauce

Marinade:

1 rack of lamb (8 lamb chops)

1 cup plain yogurt

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Dipping Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 heads garlic

2 shallots

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon black pepper

Kosher or Sea salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients, and allow the lamb to marinate for at least 2 hours before cooking. Wipe excess yogurt from lamb chops before cooking. Heat skillet to medium high, and oil with a small amount of olive oil. Sear lamb chops for about 3 minutes on each side depending on desired doneness, lamb chops may be finished in the oven by cooking at 375 degrees for no more than 3 to 4 minutes.

For the dipping sauce, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove skin from outer layer of both the garlic and shallots and carefully cut off the tops of both. Drizzle with olive oil, and then place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Remove when the bulbs have turned golden brown and place in the refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, remove the individual roasted garlic cloves and place in a food processor with the shallots, yogurt, vinegar, and pepper. Purée until the ingredients are well combined, and season to taste. Serve in a small dish for dipping along side the lamb chops.