Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops with Chimichurri

Now that golf season has started and the weather is getting better, I am really going to have to focus on getting out more timely posts with such a big distraction.  This spring activity has made the time between posts longer than anticipated.  And the most recent recipe before this one that I thought I was going to post somehow never made it. Unfortunately, I made a good hummus the other day that I was going to share with you, but then I forgot to take pictures, except for one in the beginning and end. Which isn't really a good reflection of the whole process!  


I love lamb, probably rack of lamb the most and then coming in second are lamb loin chops.  You can let them marinate over night, however in an effort to get them done in one day, we just let them marinate for a few hours.  It started out a recipe that called for cilantro and lemon juice, however I switched it up with mint and key limes.  You can choose whatever you like for the herb and the citrus.  Not sure what prompted the key limes, except that they have such great flavor and showed up at the local Whole Foods so I couldn't pass them up!  It all turned out fantastic!


Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops Ingredients
Recipe and photos by FT - Food Tasty!  adapted from Marinated Lamb Chop Cooking Light Recipe

serves 4
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2 tbls fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbls minced white onion
1/3 finely chopped jalapeno
2 tbls fresh key lime juice
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves minced
8 4oz lamb loin chops
salt and pepper


Combine first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag.  Add lamb: seal and marinate in refrigerator a few hours or overnight.  Preheat grill on medium-high.  Sprinkle both sides of lamb evenly with salt and black pepper.  Grill until medium rare or the temperature based on your preference.  Let rest for 10 minutes after removing from grill and top with chimichurri or serve it on the side.

Mint Chimichurri Ingredients
1/3 finely diced jalapeno
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2 tbls finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbls fresh key lime juice
2 tbls minced white onion
salt and pepper


Mix all ingredients and serve.  May let sit for a few hours or refrigerate if sitting overnight.

Ingredients for lamb marinade

Marinade mixed together

Lamb marinating for a few hours

Grilling

Enjoy!  Sheri

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

What they say about this dish is that every table at Rao’s has at least one of these in their order!  That means it has got to be crazy good!  We have never been to the restaurant in New York, which I think is virtually impossible to get in to due to size and ongoing reserved tables.  But we have been to the one in Vegas and Tom said this dish was really amazing when he went one time! 

With all of these accolades, we thought we should give this a shot.  I went to Saveur to find the recipe since the last time we tried something from a restaurant was the cioppino from Tadich Grill over the holidays and that did not disappoint!

It is such an easy recipe (other than the 8 lemons you have to juice!) that I can’t believe how much flavor it had.  There are a couple adjustments that seem like a good idea based on our first run … make it 2 garlic cloves, ½ cup less lemon juice and go 5 minutes per side shorter on the broiling.  Then it is perfect!  The dish is incredible if you like really good chicken with a pronounced lemon flaver!!

Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken

Recipe by Saveur http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Raos-Famous-Lemon-Chicken and photos by FT – Food Tasty!

serves 6

2 cups fresh lemon juice (8 large lemons)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

½ tsp dried oregano

salt and ground black pepper

2 2 ½ lb. chickens with legs, thighs and wings separated and breasts quartered on the bone (I used 1 - 4 lb so just make the chicken pieces the same size)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Place oven rack in upper third of the oven, preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes.

Whisk together lemon juice, oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a large bowl.

Place chicken, skin side down, on a baking sheet and broil for 15 minutes.  Turn chicken skin side up and broil until skin is crisp and golden and juices run clear, about 15 more minutes.

Remove chicken from broiler and toss in lemon mixture.  Return chicken to broiler, skin side up, and broil for 3 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a platter.

Pour pan drippings into a saucepan, add lemon sauce, and bring to a boil over high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in parsley, drizzle a little sauce on chicken, and serve remaining sauce on the side.

 Enjoy!  Sheri