Lamb Chops with Mustard Sauce
This is one of my favorite recipes for lamb chops. Serves 3-4.
4 lamb chops (about 6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or sweet onion
1/4 cup beef, lamb or chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Sprinkle lamb with thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add lamb chops; cook 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
- Add shallots to skillet; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
- Return lamb chops to skillet; cook 2 minutes for medium-rare or to desired doneness, turning once.
Source: Irish Cooking Bible: More than 120 delicious recipes from pub fare to country classics, 2013, Publications International Ltd.
Parmesan Breaded Lamb Chops
(Serves 2-3)
This recipe is adapted from one of our favorite cookbooks–we cut the original recipe in half (except for the amount of olive oil used for frying). The book is titled Cook’s Illustrated Meat Book: The Game-Changing Guide That Teaches You How to Cook Meat and Poultry with 425 Bullet-Proof Recipes, written and published by the The Editors at America’s Test Kitchen.
Make sure the oil is good and hot before adding the chops. You want them to brown quickly because these chops will overcook if left in the pan too long.
1 slice hearty white sandwich bread
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated fine (1/4 cup)
1 large egg
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 (4 ounce) lamb rib or loin chops, 3/4″ to 1″ thick, trimmed of fat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
lemon wedges
- Pulse bread in food processor to course crumbs, about 10 pulses; place crumbs in shallow dish and combine with rosemary and mind. Place Parmesan in second shallow dish. Beat egg and 1/2 tablespoon oil in third shallow dish. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.
- Working with 1 chop at a time, dredge chops in Parmesan, patting them to make cheese adhere. Using tongs, dip both sides of chops in egg mixture, coating thoroughly and allowing excess to drip back into dish. Dip both sides of chops in bread-crumb mixture, pressing crumbs with your fingers to form an even, cohesive coat. Place breaded chops in single layer on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof platter on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.
- Heat 1/4 cup of oil in nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet 8 or 10 inches over medium-high heat until shimmering but not quite smoking. Add half the chops (oil should go half way up the side) and cook, turning once, until well browned on both sides and medium-rare in center (chops should register 120 – 125 degrees), about 5 minutes. Line heated platter with paper towels, transfer chops to platter, and return to oven.
- Discard used oil. Wipe skillet clean using tongs and large wad of paper towels. Repeat with remaining 1/4 cup oil and remaining chops. Blot second batch of chops with paper towels. Remove platter from oven, remove paper towels, add just-cooked chops, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.