Lamb Chops

2 lamb racks (about 8 ribs each)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 T.
4 garlic cloves
4 rosemary sprigs
4 thyme sprigs,
black pepper and sea salt

Have the butcher clean the rib bones or scrape off meat and sinew with a small sharp knife. Cut the racks in 1/2 so that each has four ribs. Mix together the olive oil, crushed garlic, crushed rosemary and thyme sprigs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and coat well. Season the lamb with salt and freshly gound black pepper. Wrap well in plastic rap and marinate the racks overnight.

NOTE: The lamb used for this dish was Australian rack of lamb from Costco

The next day remove the lamb from the marinade and scrape off as many herbs as possible.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the lamb with salt, and sear fat side down until golden, about 7 minutes. Turn over so that the fat side is up and roast in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes for rare. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Let the rack rest for 10 minutes before cutting. To serve, cut each lamb rack into 4 equal pieces, 2 bones per chop and serve on individual plates or a platter with the accompaniments of your choice.

Red Pepper Coulis
Serves 4 Ingredients 4 red bell peppers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (no stems) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot finely diced Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Method: Roast peppers over open flame (or under broiler) until skin is blackened. Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Peel and roughly chop the peppers.

Place the red peppers in a bowl of food processor. Add the garlic, diced shallot olive oil and thyme leaves, puree until combined and smooth. Use as is or pass through a fine mesh to get a smoother mixture.

Ratatouille

See our Recipes for Ratatouille here.