Easy Easter Lamb

Now that Lent is giving way to the main event of Easter, the Feast of the Paschal Lamb can become an easy Easter dinner with this recipe for awesome lamb chops. Especially if you’re one of those people who goes to church on Easter, you can put this together in time for lunch.

The first thing is to go to Trader Joe’s and get their New Zealand rack of lamb. It comes vacuum sealed like so much of TJs food, but it’s a good cut of meat. Shake on a good dose of salt and pepper and let it get to room temperature. Mince a garlic clove, a shallot, a tablespoon of fresh rosemary and a tablespoon of fresh parsley (dried parsley is a waste of money). Once you’re ready to start, preheat your oven to 425, and get an oven proof skillet (I LOVE my All-Clad 12 inch fry pan).

Next mix together the minced garlic with a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of olive oil and the tablespoon of minced rosemary (2 teaspoons if you use dry). Rub it all over the meaty parts of the rack.

Put some olive oil in the pan (a couple of tablespoons) and get it shimmering, and then using tongs, sear the meat on all sides until a brown crust forms, about 2 minutes per side in the hot oil. Wrap the bare bones of the rack with tin foil to protect them from burning, then put the pan with the rack of lamb in the oven for 5 minutes for rare (and you want these babies to be rare to medium rare). Use a meat thermometer (critical) to check. The perfect temperature in the thick part of the rack is 140 degrees.

Remove the rack from the pan and let rest on a cutting board, tented with foil. Mince a shallot and sauté in the pan for one minute, and then add 1/3 cup of white wine or sherry. Scrape up the brown bits and then add a third cup of chicken broth, reduce the whole thing down by half, take off the heat, swirl in a tablespoon of butter with the tablespoon of minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste and spoon over the chops.

The Lord is risen indeed.