Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction
Do you like entertaining?
I sure do! David and I love having people over, sharing stories, laughs and good food along with a nice bottle of wine. Everyone is relaxed… well almost everyone! The only person who cannot fully relax until dinner is ready is the “home chef”. I love cooking but it’s always nicer to be able to spend some time with our guests. The last thing I want is to be stuck in front of the stove, cooking, sautéing and stirring food while I could be with them relaxing…
Easter is coming and then summer will be arriving soon afterward which means backyard parties, gatherings, big family dinners, celebrations, and so on… If you are like us, entertaining is fun but can be quite demanding especially when some recipes have to be prepared right before serving. I try to reduce my time in front of the stove and have more time conversing and laughing with guests but I’m not always successful with my plan… lol!
A few years back, David ordered a beautiful rack of lamb for two at the Metropolitan Grill in Seattle. I was surprised because he has never been a big fan of lamb. Perhaps because Michael, the General Manager, who has known us for years, highly recommended this dish, we took his suggestion. I’m so glad we did because the lamb was fantastic! I usually enjoy some Mint Jelly on the side but this time, I had it without any condiment… it was that good! What was also great was the fact that David finally gave lamb a try and he liked it. This is not his favorite meat but at least now, he’s more willing to eat some versus almost never before.
Lamb Chops… the solution!
Here’s a recipe I enjoy making for a few reasons and it’s my Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction! What I like about this is it’s so quick to make. Besides marinating the lamb chops for 30 minutes (*see note below), from cooking to serving it takes about half an hour all together. It’s also an elegant dish to serve your guests. The reduction gives it a nice flavorful dimension and wraps it up so beautifully. The added Beurre Manié at the end of the reduction thickens the sauce but also brings a nice glossy finish to it which makes this dish even more appealing…
Surprisingly, many people don’t enjoy the taste of lamb but if you do, this is a great lamb dish for you to try. It’s the perfect quick meal to serve when you don’t want to stand in front of the stove cooking for hours. I like to serve this with steamed veggies and baby potatoes for a nice presentation as they don’t take too much time to make either – I’m definitely working on my time management… lol!
Bon Appétit!
*NOTE: You can always marinate the lamb loin chops ahead of time. Just place them in the fridge and when you’re ready to cook, let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes like I did in the video. In my opinion, when meat is not too chilled, it cooks more evenly from center to edge.
Here are more delicious lamb recipes for you to enjoy…
– Lamb Kofta with Yogurt Sauce
– Lamb Keema
– Greek Dolmades with Avgolemono Sauce
– North African Merguez
– Mediterranean Leg of Lamb
– African Lamb Tagine
– Turkish Kebabs
– Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence
and for even more elegant recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Elegant Cuisine
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Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction
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Ingredients
- 4 large lamb loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns), divided
- 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 2-3 Sprigs rosemary, bruised tips & tricks
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided tips & tricks
- 2 tbsp. orange juice tips & tricks
- ground Himalayan sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup shallots, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 3 tbsp. good quality aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. honey tips & tricks
- 1 tsp. beurre manié see Recipe
Directions
- Season the chops with black pepper and transfer to a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add garlic, rosemary, oil and orange juice; coat the chops and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chops from the bag, discard the marinade and season them with salt; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and when it gets hot, add the chops. Cook 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from the skillet and keep them warm.
- Return the skillet to the burner and reduce the heat to medium-low. Remove any excess oil with paper towel using tongs, leaving about 1 tbsp. behind.
- Add shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add broth, red wine, balsamic and honey. Stir, scraping the bottom of the plate and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add freshly ground black pepper. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by half and has a syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes.
- Add beurre manié and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and spoon the sauce over the chops. Serve with fingerling potatoes and steamed veggies.
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