Best Damn Lamb Chops Ever

Tom and Scott were leaving for Italy (don’t they have all of the fun). I had wanted to grill Lamb Chops, and Cathy found a great recipe: Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Molasses from Cooking with Café Pasqual’s by Katharine Kagel.

We started with a favorite of mine: Tomato Salad with Russian Dressing that I used to look forward at Campanile Restaurant. Russian dressing is kind of like a guilty pleasure but this version is the best. We only used red tomatoes for our version. Tom had never experienced homemade Russian Dressing and loved it. I had a convert! You can get the recipe from our blog of July 4, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe for the wonderful salad!

With the lamb we served With them we served a Roasted Beet Farrotto from The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali. It was a wonderful side dish to serve with the lamb. You can get the recipe from our blog of: Jan 31, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

For dessert we made a Fig Upside Down Cake. This is a staple for us when figs are in season. It is VERY easy to make and if you are afraid to bake a cake this is a great cake to start with! You can get the recipe from our blog of: Sep. 4, 2006. Click the date to get the recipe.

I am not sure how to allocate all of the reasons for the success of the lamb chops. They were definitely the best lamb chops ever. Credit is due to McCall’s Meat and Fish that gets such fantastic Colorado Lamb. Credit also goes to the delicious recipe from Santa Fe’s Café Pasqual. Kudo’s to our new cast iron grill grate are also in order. It takes a village to make a perfect dish, and this was one! Can’t wait to repeat it!

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Molasses

Cooking with Café Pasqual’s

Katharine Kagel

Lamb Chops always satisfy: they’re delicious, easy to prepare, and elegant in presentation. This quick and simple recipe was a gift from the brilliant chef Giovana, who cooked with us all too briefly. Pomegranate molasses comes in 10-ounce bottles. All you have to do is brush it on all sides of the lamb during the last 3 minutes of cooking, which lets it caramelize. The molasses tastes marvelously sour and is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the lamb. My favorite brand is Cortas, which is a product of Lebanon.

Serves 4

2-1/2 to 3 pound rack of lamb with 8 chops (count to confirm number)

1         tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped

1         tablespoon minced garlic

¼         cup olive oil

1         teaspoon kosher salt

1         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2         tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Put the lamb into a stainless steel container with the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning the meat once or twice. Preheat the grill or preheat an oven to 400F.

When the grill is ready, remove the lamb from the marinade and allow the oil to drip back into the con­tainer to prevent flare-ups on the grill. Place the lamb on the grill with the fleshy side down. Turn after about 7 minutes and grill the other side. If using an oven, place the meat on a rack over a foil-lined roasting pan. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. When you have determined that the lamb is about 3 minutes away from the desired doneness, quickly brush both sides with the molasses. Turn the lamb often (with tongs, not a fork, or the juices will escape), making sure that all sides are cooked. Cook to taste, but for the most full-flavored result it is essential to leave some pink. The meat will continue to cook after leaving its heat source, so pull it off just before it reaches its desired doneness. Let the chops rest for a few minutes, covered in foil, so that the juices will be reabsorbed before cutting and serving.