Cooktop Cove: Get ready for a little romance when you make these rosemary-crusted lamp chops
By Matt Jenner
Heat things up tonight when you surprise your significant other with these simple and elegant rosemary-crusted lamb chops. Tender bone-in lamb rib chops are simply marinaded in olive oil, rosemary, and garlic and then seared on the stovetop to a perfect medium-rare. The simplicity of the marinade really lets you taste the flavor of the lamb.
While lamb chops can also be prepared in the oven, the recipe below uses just the stove to get a perfect sear on the lamb. We suggest that you not cook the lamb past medium, or else you'll risk drying the meat out and losing all the juiciness. Remember, carry-over cooking will keep cooking the meat even after you've removed it from the stove!
Rosemary-Crusted Lamb Chops
2-4
40 mins
10 mins
55 mins
1 pound (approx. 4 double-rib) lamb chops, cleaned & trimmed
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Allow your lamb chops to come up to room temperature. In the meantime, prepare the marinade.
In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well-blended.
Coat the lamb chops with the marinade on both sides, massaging the marinade into the meat with your fingers. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to sit at room temperature for 30-45 mins.
When ready to cook, heat the remaining olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, place each lamb chop in the pan, and allow to cook about 2-3 mins on each side. Take care to avoid overcooking.
Remove lamb from the heat, and place on a plate or cutting board. Form an aluminum foil tent over the lamb, and allow the meat to rest about 5-10 mins before serving.
To serve, cut the bones in half and serve, or serve the whole double-rib chop. Garnish with a splash more olive oil and/or fresh ground black pepper.
Pro-tip: Make these lamb chops a meal by serving it with fresh rice or roasted potatoes and a green salad.
Pro-tip: Bring a little heat to the lamb by adding ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade.
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