Occasionally, I like to make a gourmet meal on a Thursday for no reason what-so-ever. Last night was one of those nights. Lamb chops seem to be gourmet maybe because when you order them in a restaurant they can be a little pricy. Making them yourself isn't cheap either, but it's a lot less expensive and you have the choice of buying organically. Lately, when I'm cooking meat I really try to buy organic... I also do this with eggs. It makes me feel like what I'm eating is a lot healthier because there are so many hormones going into meat these days. The way the animals are treated and fed is a lot different compared to the non-organic meat you buy. If you don't care about the type of meat you buy, than no big deal... but this is just what makes me feel better when eating meat.
First, I like to marinate the lamb chops in a Rosemary/Lemon marinade and let it sit while I'm cooking the Risotto.
Marinade- 1/4 cup olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, pinch of lemon zest, 1 tbls. or more of rosemary sprigs (chopped), salt & pepper. Coat each lamb chop with the marinade and set aside at room temperature while you cook the risotto. Or you can put them in the fridge and let them marinate for a few hours.
Asparagus & Shiitake mushroom Risotto!The asparagus and shiitake mushroom risotto is the perfect side for the lamb. Since, the meat on the lamb chop can be minimal it's great to have a starchy or pasta to pair along side. You can also put shrimp or chicken in your risotto... just like any recipe, you can make it your own by switching up a few ingredients.
Ingredients- 2 tbls olive oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1/2 lb. shiitake mushroom (stems removed and chopped), 3/4 lb. asparagus cut into 1/4 inch pieces, 1 (49 0z.) can of chicken stock, 1/2 stick unsalted butter, 1/2 cup diced white onion, 2 cups Arborio rice, 1/2 cup white wine, salt & pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Directions- Heat the oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add the garlic and mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, about 2 mins. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a separate saucepan bring the chicken broth to a simmer. In another large saucepan (4 quart), melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the onion to it. Saute the onion until just translucent. Add the rice and stir for a few mins. Don't forget to salt & pepper as you go along, so that it will get absorbed while you cook. Add the wine and let come to a boil... make sure you stir until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then start to add the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, stir frequently until the liquid is gone then repeat until you have used all of the chicken stock. The rice should be plump and creamy by the end and cooked through. To finish it off, add the last tablespoon of butter and the veggies back in. Top it off with the parmesan and wah-lah!
The lamb chops just take about 10 minutes to make. I started making them when I was just about done with the risotto. Make sure you have a large enough skillet to cook the lamb chops in without crowding the pan. If you don't have a large pan, you can always cook the lamb is two or three shifts.
Directions- Put a small amount of oil in the pan, just to coat. Add the chops to the pan, and season top side with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes on one side, and turn. Season the other side and cook another 2 to 3 minutes depending on how thick they are, the chops should be cooked to medium/medium rare. Remove from pan to a plate. Tent the plate with foil and let the lamb chops set for another 5 minutes. Serve with the Risotto and you are good to go!
No matter what day of the week it is, you can always make an easy gourmet meal that is tasty and filling. You can also use this Lamb Lollipop recipe to impress friends when having a dinner party, it really is quick and simple. I thought the perfect wine pairing for this meal was the Cabernet we had. Though there are no rules you have to follow, you can pair this meal with any of your favorite red wines.... and Enjoy!!
