LAMB CHOPS WITH DATES, FETA AND TAHINI
These tender little lamb rib chops have a deep, complex flavor thanks to a marinade imbued with cumin and Aleppo pepper. After a brief soak, they get quickly seared, then served with a garlicky tahini-yogurt sauce and a tangy herb salad filled with feta cheese and sweet dates. It's a festive, colorful, company-worthy main course that comes together fast.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories main course
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine 1/3 cup oil, the cumin, 2 garlic cloves, the Aleppo pepper and half the lemon juice. Add lamb, turn to coat, cover baking dish and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- In a blender, combine remaining garlic clove, 3 tablespoons oil, the tahini, the yogurt, salt and pepper to taste, and 3 tablespoons water. Blend until it has the consistency of thick heavy cream, adding more water or adjusting seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
- Heat a grill, grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Remove lamb from marinade, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side for rare. If you'd like, prop each lamb chop on its fatty side to briefly sear it, around 30 seconds. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk to combine the remaining scant 3 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with dates, feta, mint and dill. Place on serving platter, top with lamb, and drizzle with tahini dressing. Garnish with extra herbs and sumac, and serve with remaining tahini sauce on the side. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1157, UnsaturatedFat 61 grams, Carbohydrate 44 grams, Fat 99 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 29 grams, SaturatedFat 32 grams, Sodium 838 milligrams, Sugar 34 grams
TURKISH LAMB CHOPS WITH SUMAC, TAHINI, AND DILL
Steps:
- Prepare the lamb:
- Combine the Turkish red pepper, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in a small bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat, add the spice mixture, and toast until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a mortar or spice grinder, add the salt and black pepper, and either pound or briefly grind until you get a coarse-textured spice mix. Don't overdo it if you've gone electric here-the coarse texture is an essential part of the dish.
- Pat the spice mixture all over the lamb chops, and let them marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or uncovered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Make the tahini sauce:
- While the lamb is marinating, in a food processor, blend the lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Then add the tahini and ground cumin, and blend until a thick paste forms. With the processor running, gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth enough to drizzle.
- Heat a grill or broiler to high.
- Drizzle the chops lightly with olive oil. Grill the chops until they are charred on the outside and cooked to taste within (or broil the chops on a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet). Cooking time will depend on how thick your chops are, so watch them carefully: 2-inch-thick bone-in chops will take at least 3 to 5 minutes per side for rare. You'll need less time for thinner chops, and more time if you like them cooked medium rare or beyond. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- To serve, drizzle the tahini sauce over the chops, and garnish them with the dill sprigs. Add a dusting of the red sumac if you like.
LAMB CHOPS
When you think of finger foods, thoughts generally gravitate toward something small and wrapped in bacon. For a more elegant approach, roasted meat is the way to go. If you can get small lamb chops (teeny-tiny but not fussy), cover the bones in scallion ''sleeves" for a whimsical look and a practical touch. If your guests don't mind, they'll have a built-in utensil - something like a lamb lollipop.
Provided by Jonathan Reynolds
Categories easy, quick, appetizer, main course
Time 30m
Yield 8 appetizer servings, 4 dinner servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the lamb with the salt and pepper.
- Mix the oil, garlic and rosemary. Spoon half on the lamb and grill 1 minute per side. Place on a sheet pan and cover with the rest of the marinade. Roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer reaches 125 degrees for rare, 130 degrees for medium rare.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then slice off individual chops and serve with sea salt for dipping. (S.R.O. uses tiny lamb chops, which fit into scallion ''sleeves.'' The racks generally sold by your butcher will be too big for this touch.)
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