Lamb chops get additional flavor from anchovies, olives
If you are looking for a tasty main dish for dinner that you can have on the table in about 20 minutes, you can hardly do better than opt for this recipe for grilled baby lamb chops topped with a Provencal dressing.
Anchovies and olives are among the flavors evoking Provence in the recipe, created by chef-restaurateur Terrance Brennan. It’s one of a collection of some 150 recipes in “Food & Wine Fast” (American Express Publishing Co., $9.99 paperback), all drawn from Food & Wine magazine and a variety of distinguished contributors to it.
“Fast” in this cookbook’s definition is 30 minutes preparation and cooking time or less, for items ranging from the strawberry lemonade and blood-orange cosmo in the drinks and hors d’oeuvres section, to blackberry-cream cheese tortilla blintzes in the desserts chapter. In between are plenty of soups, salads and pasta, fish, poultry and meat dishes, and vegetables.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Provencal Dressing
Recipe by Terrance Brennan from “Food & Wine Fast,” (American Express Publishing Co., $9.95 paperback)
2 large anchovy fillets
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped thyme
1/4 teaspoon very finely chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Twelve 4-ounce baby lamb rib chops
To make the Provencal dressing: In a food processor, pulse the anchovy fillets with the smashed garlic and the lemon juice until finely minced. Add the olive oil and process the anchovy mixture until smooth. Add the chopped olives, thyme and rosemary and pulse to blend. Season the Provencal dressing lightly with salt and pepper and reserve.
Light a grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan. Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Grill the lamb chops over high heat, turning them once, until they are browned all over, about 7 minutes for medium-rare meat. Transfer the lamb chops to a large serving platter, spoon the Provencal dressing on top and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.