Lamb Chops Stuffed With Fennel Lemon Artichoke Recipes

LAMB WITH ARTICHOKES, LEMON AND OLIVES

Steps:

• For the lamb: Trim the lamb shoulder to remove all the fat and cube into medium size pieces. In a Dutch oven or large sauce pot heat the olive oil until hot and saute the onions until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the lamb pieces and cook for approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Add the saffron, pepper, parsley, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 1/3 teaspoon turmeric. Mix well and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the water, cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the lamb is tender, transfer it to a separate casserole with a small amount of sauce to keep it warm. To the sauce add 1/2 cup green olives and allow the sauce to cook for 3 more minutes. Pour the sauce and artichokes over the lamb on the casserole plate and garnish the plate with fresh lemon slices as well as preserved lemon slices, and freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
• For the Artichokes with Lemons and Olives: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot, add onions, garlic, saffron, black pepper, cumin, salt and bay leaves, stir well and bring to a boil. Drain the artichokes from cold water and put in the casserole, cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then add olives, lemon juice and preserved lemon, reduce heat for another 10 minutes, and let simmer. Serve in a platter, pour lemon juice over artichokes and garnish with thin slices of lemon. Serve the artichokes as a vegetarian dish or as a garnish for lamb.

LAMB CHOPS STUFFED WITH FENNEL, LEMON & ARTICHOKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350ºF degrees.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of lamb chops and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large oven safe skillet, add garlic, fennel, and artichoke hearts. Saute until softened and lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes.
• Add chili flakes, lemon juice and lemon zest. When lemon juice disappears, remove pan from heat, put mixture into a small bowl to cool slightly. Save skillet for cooking the chops.
• Cut a deep slit into the side of each chop to form a pocket. Put ¼ of the cooled fennel mixture into each chop, pressing in firmly.
• Heat the skillet over medium high heat and place chops into hot skillet. After one-minute turn chops and cook one additional minute.
• Place skillet with chops into pre-heated oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes turn chops over. Cook 5-10 more minutes or until an internal temperature of 145ºF degrees is reached.
• Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, polenta or quinoa. Add vegetables or a salad to complete the meal.

LAMB CHOPS WITH FENNEL, ARUGULA, RED ONION AND BLACK OLIVE SALAD

Steps:

• For the lamb chops: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to the mix. Reserve.
• Remove 2 rib bones from each rack of lamb and cut the remaining racks into 6 equal, thicker chops (instead of 8 thinner chops).
• Sprinkle the lamb chops with salt and reserve at room temperature. Brush both sides of the chops with the rosemary mixture.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb chops on all sides, including the fat edge. (Remember: Brown food tastes good! If your pan gets too hot, lower the heat. Ditch the oil in between the batches and start off with fresh oil. It is really important not to crowd the pan while browning the chops. If the pan is crowded, the chops will steam instead of browning and getting crispy.) When all the chops are browned, arrange them neatly on a sheet tray (with sides, you don't want any juices or fat to run off). Brush the browned chops with the rosemary mixture. Roast the chops for 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 to 15 minutes for medium.
• For the salad: Meanwhile, toss together the fennel, arugula, radicchio, red onion and olives with the olive oil, lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of salt in a large bowl. Taste to make sure it is delicious. Arrange the salad on a large serving platter and top the salad with the hot lamb chops to wilt the salad a little bit. Brush the chops with any remaining rosemary oil and drizzle any juice from the baking sheet over the lamb.
• Chop chop!

LAMB CHOPS WITH ARTICHOKES AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon orange peel; stir 30 seconds. Add artichoke hearts and broth; bring to boil. Cover; boil 5 minutes. Uncover; cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Sprinkle lamb with remaining garlic and rosemary, then salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; sauté until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to platter.
• Spoon off fat from skillet with lamb. Add artichoke mixture; boil 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon artichoke mixture around lamb. Sprinkle with remaining orange peel and serve.