“Mommy, I love these! I just love them!”
Here is yet another cameo appearance by Adriana, whose baby lamb chops sent Leandro over the moon (not least because he could grab them by the bone in his hammy little fist and tear meat off with his teeth like a caveman) and very nearly knocked me and Padushi off our pedestals in his culinary pantheon.
Adriana is a serious carnivore who likes the flavor of good meat to shine through. The mild flavor and tender texture of today’s baby lamb chops from Australia and New Zealand lend themselves to that kind of light hand in seasoning. Roasted potatoes and asparagus rounded off the meal – simple, straightforward, and balanced.
The meal was also festive — our celebration of the beginning of the holiday season — so we grown-ups opened with a pear and goat cheese appetizer (which will be familiar to regular readers) and some prosecco, which I mention only because the photos are so nice that I’ve decided to include one here! The kids…well they opened with some sort of Trader Joe’s-type semi-virtuous cheese doodles, so we’ll just leave that one alone! And they did great justice to the real food, so not to worry!
Wishing you happy and delicious holidays!
Natalia
Adriana’s Baby Lamb Chops
7 cloves garlic
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 medium springs rosemary – stems removed and leaves minced
¼ tsp salt
3 lbs Frenched baby lamb racks (two racks)
Adobo powder to taste
½ Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Pound garlic, peppercorns, rosemary leaves and salt in a mortar and pestle until they form a paste.
Rinse lamb racks and pat dry. Sprinkle liberally with adobo powder on both sides. Massage both sides with garlic rub, concave side first.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan or other heavy pan on medium high. Sear each rack, starting with the meaty side down, about 3 minutes each side.
Place racks on roasting pan, meaty side up and cook in oven until meat thermometer reads 125° for rare ribs or 130° for medium rare, about 20 minutes.
Serve with roasted vegetables.
Hot, Cheap & Easy 
Lovely indeed Natalia.
Thank you, Conor! We are looking forward to making them again!
Reblogged this on Hot, Cheap & Easy and commented:
Looking ahead to Easter…we may very well do these again. So perfectly simple and so right for Spring!
These are beautiful lamb chops! Lamb is such an under appreciated meat in the U.S. (sigh). Love, love it. Thanks for sharing.
Velva
Thank you! We’re doing it again this Easter!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday. I know having the lamb chops made it special. One of my all time favorite meals.
Doing this again for Easter!
Hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday!
Perfect. Tiny lamb chops are just divine and you are so right, they should be cooked simply! c
Great times with great friends and great food! Xox
Beautiful! What a perfect holiday meal.