Lamb Chops with Parsley, Rosemary, and Garlic
As we celebrated Easter away from home, cooking can be a bit of a challenge when working with someone else's appliances, or lack of. After a wonderful day, we are spending it at the mountains. Rack of lamb was waiting for me. At the last minute, and no appliances in hand to do what I needed to do, I decided to cut the rack into chops and prepare them as I usually do with rosemary. While chopping fresh garlic and parsley for the potatoes, I decided to add the parsley-garlic mixture to the lamb as well. The combination was quite a pleasant surprise. Bon Appetit!!
As we celebrated Easter away from home, cooking can be a bit of a challenge when working with someone else's appliances, or lack of. After a wonderful day, we are spending it at the mountains. Rack of lamb was waiting for me. At the last minute, and no appliances in hand to do what I needed to do, I decided to cut the rack into chops and prepare them as I usually do with rosemary. While chopping fresh garlic and parsley for the potatoes, I decided to add the parsley-garlic mixture to the lamb as well. The combination was quite a pleasant surprise. Bon Appetit!!
- Carbohydrate 0.528495 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.969315000361835 g
- Fiber 0.351449987411499 g
- Protein 0.04026 g
- Saturated Fat 0.177315750049962 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2g)
- Sodium 18.8495182291739 mg
- Sugar 0.177045012588501 g
- Trans Fat 0.0434407500097987 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Pat the chops dry and let them rest with sprinkled salt, pepper, rosemary and 1 teaspoon of the chopped garlic.
- In a large skillet put the olive oil and warm over high heat. When hot, but not smoking, add the chops, the parsley and remaining garlic.
- Cook, turning twice until desire doneness.
Rosemary acts as the primary aromatic anchor for lamb, holding its ground against the robust iron notes of the meat. Dried rosemary works particularly well here because its dehydrated cellular structure resists burning during high-heat searing far better than fresh needles would. Slicing a whole rack into individual chops before cooking drastically increases the surface area exposed to heat, transforming what would be a roasting project into a fast, aggressive pan-fry. Patting the meat completely dry with paper towels is the single operational step that determines success or failure; surface moisture creates steam, and steam prevents the Maillard reaction from creating a browned crust. Salt the meat just before it hits the pan to avoid drawing out internal moisture, which would also sabotage the sear. A heavy cast-iron or stainless steel skillet is mandatory because thin aluminum pans cannot retain the thermal mass required to maintain heat when cold meat enters the cooking surface. Heat the olive oil until it shimmers but remains just below the smoke point, usually around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, before introducing the chops. Tossing finely chopped garlic and fresh parsley into the skillet alongside the meat during the final minute prevents the delicate aromatics from turning bitter in scorching oil. Potatoes cooked in a separate vessel make an ideal side dish because their neutral starch absorbs the fragrant pan drippings left behind by the lamb.
