Los Angeles, Ca, November 11, 2014 – Eating “in” has its perks, and eating lamb on a budget is one of them. As we move into fall and life settles back into a regular routine, it’s important to look at a few elements such as saving where you can, changing what you’re eating based on the new seasonal foods and enjoying life whenever you’re able. This recipe takes into consideration all three factors.
Lamb is usually pricey, but when you master the art of cooking it, you can enjoy it at home for a quarter of the cost found at restaurants. Most restaurants charge anywhere from $25-45 per plate of lamb, whereas you can buy a rack from the supermarket that will feed two people for around $16.99. Even though $16.99 is still fairly expensive, you’re still saving a ton of money compared to what you would pay at a restaurant.
Figs are in season right now and, again, eating seasonal is a great way to save a buck or two and give your body what it needs for the changing months. If you don’t have fresh figs, you can always use dried or another fruit that is available in your area. Not only are figs and lamb a great combination, but so is mint and lamb. Mint and lamb go hand-in-hand in nearly every way. In many parts of the country, mint jelly is a must with lamb, but, through experimentation, I’ve found that fresh mint is much better. This recipe is paired with both rosemary and mint to give it an earthy flavor that is complemented by the sweetness of the fig compote.
My husband and I are always looking to save, yet we still want to enjoy good food and celebrate a workweek well-done on the weekends. To compromise, we have made the weekdays about saving where we can and stretching when need to, but the weekends are about letting loose and enjoying life. Splurging on a beautiful dinner is one of the ways we’ve found that can put an end to the weekday routine and a beautiful lamb dinner in the fall months is a perfect end to a good or bad week.
Enjoy this recipe and enjoy life. Make small changes that make a big difference. Eating on a budget doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of good food, it just means that you have to be smarter as to where you get it.
Directions:
- In a large bag or bowl mix together ¼ red wine, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 2 sprigs of both rosemary and mint lightly chopped and 1-½ shallots roughly chopped. Mix everything together well and set aside.
- Rinse and dry the lamb.
- Add it to the marinade and let stand for 1-3 hours for best result. Make sure the marinade is spread over each lamb chop.
- Wash the figs and remove the stems. Dice into a very small bits and set aside.
- Mince the remaining shallots and sauté them in a pan with 2 teaspoons olive oil until they begin to caramelize.
- Add the figs and water to the saucepot, season with salt. Cook the figs down until they’re beginning to turn into a paste.
- Deglaze with a ¼ cup of red wine and the red wine vinegar. Cook on medium low heat until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Set aside.
- Bring the lamb chops out 30-45 minutes before you cook, and allow them to rise to room temperature for the best cooking results.
- Preheat our oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large sauté pan add the remaining olive oil and once it is hot add the lamb chops presentation side down. Sear on medium high heat for 5-6 minutes or until a beautiful golden brown has formed on the presentation side of the lamb chop. You may need to use the back of the spoon to slightly press down on the meat to ensure an even browning. The bone can cause some areas to remain untouched by the pan, which leaves you with gray meat.
- Once they’re brown, flip them and place them in the oven for a remaining 5-6 minutes or until the blood is rising to the top for medium rare.
- Let rest for a few minutes uncovered.
- Reheat the fig compote while the meat is resting and serve with the lamb chops. Garnish with sliced fresh figs, chopped rosemary and mint leaves.
- Enjoy.
