Easy and Perfect Lamb Chops

I bought some wonderful lamb chops at Costco over the weekend, and found this recipe from Giada De Laurentis of the Food Network.  If you like lamb, and we do, this is a fool proof way to prepare delicious lamb chops. 

Grilled Lamb Chops   Prep Time:
5 min
Inactive Prep Time:
1 hr 20 min
Cook Time:
5 min

Serves:

 8 servings

Ingredients

2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne pepper
Coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Directions

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt. Pulse until combined. Pour in olive oil and pulse into a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes.

Lamb chops ready to marinate in fridge.

Heat a grill pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes. Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium. 

Sear for two minutes on one side.

Flip over and cook 3.5 minutes for medium.

We like ours medium.  You don't want to overcook lamb.  It should be a little pink in the middle when done.  

Saganaki ela!

We were in Halifax recently and had dinner at our favorite Greek restaurant, Ela, out in Bayer's Lake Shopping Center.  I usually have the delicious grilled octopus as an appetizer, but this time I decided to try something different.  I ordered the Saganaki ela!, pan fried Kefalograviera, Greek cheese.  The cheese was flambéed  table side and dressed with fresh lemon juice.  It was crusty on the outside with warm cheese oozing from the inside and quite delicious.

Menu description.

Flambeed.

Crusty on the outside

Melted cheese on the inside.

Dan had the grilled chops from a rack of lamb that were marinated in garlic before grilling.

Lamb chops grilled.

Following the appetizers, Dan had a creamy seafood chowder and I had braised lamb with spices & tomato sauce blended with cavatelli pasta.

Creamy seafood chowder.

Pasta lamb dish.

We wanted to try dessert, but we were so full we decided to get one to takeout and have the next day.  We tried the Kataifi Ekme, shredded filo pastry, baked and covered with a vanilla custard.  This is topped with whipped cream, roasted pistachios and almonds.

Kataifi Ekme

A bite of dessert.

The wait staff is very attentive at Ela.  Our waitress took time to describe the dishes we were thinking of ordering and was very patient as I was trying to get pictures of the various dishes including her setting fire to the brandy on the cheese appetizer.

Dan and our lovely waitress.

Yes we enjoyed yet another delicious meal at Ela.