Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [73]
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RIB CHOPS/RACK
Mint-Brined Lamb Rib Chops with Red Currant Vinaigrette
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Lamb rib chops are the most elegant of finger foods. No more than a few bites of delicate meat perched on a natural bone handle, they are the perfect quick-and-easy dinner when you don’t want to fuss, but you definitely want to impress. In order to ensure that the meat develops a good crust during grilling but stays juicy in the center, you will need thick chops, about ¾ inch. Depending on the kind of lamb you purchase, you will either need double-rib chops (for Icelandic, New Zealand, or Australian lamb) or single-rib chops (for American lamb).
INGREDIENTS:
2½ cups Lime-Mint Brine
8 lamb chops (about 4 ounces each), at least ¾ inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 cup Red Currant Vinaigrette
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the brine and lamb chops in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Press out the air, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.
Light a grill for bilevel medium-high/medium-low heat, about 425/325°F.
Remove the lamb from the marinade and pat dry. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Brush grill grate and coat with oil. Brown the chops over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes per side. Lower the heat to medium on a gas grill, or transfer the lamb to the lower-heat area on a charcoal or wood grill. Cover the grill and cook until the chops are about 130°F (make sure the thermometer is not touching bone), about 2 minutes more per side.
Serve drizzled with the vinaigrette.
TENDERLOIN/LOIN
Grilled Lamb Tenderloin with Arugula and Chèvre
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Lamb tenderloins are teeny. Weighing in at about 6 ounces, and only about an inch in diameter, a whole lamb tenderloin provides but a single serving. As its name implies, the tenderloin is buttery soft, and very lean. Don’t grill it past medium-done, because it dries out easily. You may have to special-order this cut. Most of the market supply is sold to restaurants, so if there is a butcher in your area who sells to chefs, he or she might be your best bet for a ready supply and a good price.
INGREDIENTS:
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons grape seed or canola oil
Coarse salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 boneless lamb tenderloins (about 1½ pounds total), trimmed of excess fat
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
5 ounces baby arugula
2 ounces fresh chèvre, broken into small pieces
DIRECTIONS:
Mix half the garlic, the red wine vinegar, the two oils, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl with a whisk. Brush ¼ cup of the vinaigrette over the lamb. Press the rosemary and the remaining minced garlic into the surface of the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 450°F.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Unwrap the lamb and grill directly over the fire until an instant-read thermometer registers 130°F (for medium-rare), about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. Transfer to a platter, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Slice each tenderloin diagonally into three or four thick slices. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. Toss the remaining vinaigrette with the arugula. Arrange two medallions on each plate, nestled into a mound of the arugula. Scatter the chèvre over the top. Serve immediately.
RACK/LOIN
Lamb Noisettes with Poblano-Gorgonzola Butter
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
If you do not worship lamb with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your disposable income, you should probably move on to another recipe. Lamb noisettes, mined from the very heart of a lamb loin—with all bone, fat, sinew, cartilage, and silver skin peeled away—are the very essence of why we love lamb. And we are willing to pay dearly for it. Because of the large percentage of inedible parts on a rack of lamb, this one pound