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This is an easy dinner that's also "fancy" enough to serve for special occasions, including your holiday table. Rach says a lot of her friends are afraid to cook lamb chops (and seafood), but there's no need to be. It's so simple and fast—really! The sauce comes together quickly, too, and the pureed peas with mint and upland cress are a fresh and colorful way to round out the meal.

Kick off the dinner with John's Italian 75 Cocktail and finish on a sweet note with Rachael's sister's Chocolate Almond Torte with Berries.

Ingredients

For the Lamb Chops:
  • 2 racks of frenched lamb chops, 7-9 ribs each, medium in size
  • Salt and pepper
  • Non-aerosol olive oil spray
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup Dijon
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoons granulated onion
  • 2 cups panko or homemade breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ¼ cup stemmed fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 bunches upland cress, picked
For the Simple Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 cup stock of choice
  • ½ cup cream
  • Juice of ½ lemon
For the Minty Peas Puree:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small white or yellow onion OR large shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt and white pepper
  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds fresh shelled or defrosted frozen peas
  • 1 cup chicken bone broth or stock
  • A small handful of mint leaves, chopped

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

For the lamb chops, heat oven to 450°F, with rack at center. Cover a baking sheet with foil and add a wire rack.  

Heat large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Rachael Ray 12-Inch Cast Iron Frying Pan

Rachael Ray 12-Inch Cast Iron Frying Pan

Rachael Ray
$45

Pat lamb dry (after taking the chill off a bit) and season with salt and pepper on both sides of rack. Spray the skillet or the meat with oil and sear evenly all over, then remove from pan and cool completely.  

Combine the egg and Dijon mustard, then granulated garlic and onion and slather the mix over both racks, all over.  

Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese with rosemary and zest, then add the melted butter and press evenly and firmly all over the racks.   

Roast 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F. Turn pan, roast 20 minutes more, turning pan once more midway, or until meat is 130 to 135°F.  

Rest 10 minutes. Cut 2 to 3 ribs per person.

For the simple sauce, melt butter in saucepot over medium heat, whisk in flour and combine. Add wine and reduce 1 minute. Whisk in stock, then reduce heat to low, add cream and whisk in lemon just before serving.  

For the peas, melt butter in saucepot or pan over medium heat and add onion or shallot with garlic, season with salt and pepper and soften 5 minutes. Add peas and stock and simmer 5 minutes more. Add mint and puree with immersion blender or in high-powered blender.  

Smear the peas on the plates, top with 2 to 3 chops and spill over sauce. Pile a bit of cress alongside.