Here’s the dish! I love lamb chops, but I’ve only ever enjoyed them while dining out. I’ve never attempted to make them at home until now!

Lamb is the other red meat we often forget about. It can often be prepared in a similar fashion as beef (butter-basted in a cast iron skillet is my go-to). It’s easy to marinate and can pack lots of flavor. One of my favorite ways to enjoy lamb chops is with fresh herbs, so I decided to incorporate them in not only the lamb, but the sides as well! Enjoy this delicious recipe of Garlic & Herb Lamb Chops with Whipped Chive Potatoes & Tarragon Haricots Vert.

Ingredients

Garlic & Herb Lamb Chops

1 Rack of Lamb, sliced
1/4 Cup Fresh Thyme
1/4 Cup Fresh Rosemary, chopped
4-8 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste (or your favorite all-purpose seasoning)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
4-6 Tablespoons of Avocado or Grapeseed Oil (or one with a high smoke point)
4 Tablespoons of Butter
2-4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary and Thyme
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, smashed

Whipped Chive Potatoes

2-4 Russet Potatoes, peeled and medium diced
1-1/2 Sticks of Butter
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Fresh Chives, finely chopped
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Tarragon Haricots Vert

1 Pound Fresh Haricots Vert, cleaned (trimming is optional)
1/4 Cup Fresh Tarragon (chopping is optional)
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
Badia Complete Seasoning, to taste (or your favorite all-purpose seasoning)
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Marinating your lamb chops makes all the difference on their intensity of flavor and tenderness. This simple herb and garlic marinade pairs perfectly with the lamb, and the longer you are able to marinate the chops in it, the better! Start by removing the leaves from most of the sprigs of thyme and rosemary, reserving a few whole sprigs for later. Because of the size of their leaves, the thyme doesn’t need to be chopped, but you should definitely give the rosemary a nice good chop. Smash 2 to 4 cloves of garlic and set aside with the sprigs of herbs, then finely chop up to eight garlic cloves for the marinade. Feel free to adjust the number of cloves based upon your taste, but for me, the more garlic, the better!

Clean and trim some of the fat from your rack of lamb. I like to leave some of the fat along the back of the bone so that it can be rendered when cooked. Cut the rack into individual chops, and place the chops in a plastic bag with the fresh herbs and finely chopped garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle in up to a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil. Close the plastic bag securely, removing as much air as possible, and massage the herbs and garlic into the chops. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.

Remove the chops about 30 minutes before you plan to cook them. Bringing the cold temperate of the meat down allows for a more even cook, and it gives you some time to prep for your side dishes. You can cook the chops in any pan, but you absolutely cannot go wrong with a cast iron skillet! Preheat your pan on medium-high heat while you pat your meat dry. Apply your favorite all-purpose seasoning and a bit more coarse ground salt and pepper. Add enough avocado or grapeseed oil to cover the bottom of your pan, then add half the chops, ensuring not to crowd the pan. For one-inch chops, you’ll want to cook them for 4 minutes per side, and 1 minute on the back of the bone for the perfect medium-rare. You can adjust your cooking time if your chops are smaller, or if you prefer a different temperature of meat.

Remove the first half of the chops and drain the oil out, then use paper towels to wipe the cooked herbs and garlic from the pan. Return the pan to the heat, add more oil, then cook the second batch of chops. Drain and clean the oil, herbs, and garlic once more, then add 4 tablespoons of butter and up to 4 smashed cloves of garlic into the pan. Once the butter is melted, position all the chops into the pan and add the whole sprigs of herbs. Tilting the pan, butter baste the chops for up to 2 minutes. Allow the chops 5 minutes to rest before serving.

As I previously mentioned, when you take your meat out to bring it to room temperature, you can prep for your side dishes. Because it’s similar in texture to beef, potatoes, whether roasted, smashed, or whipped, pair well with lamb. Fill a large pot with water, and bring it to a boil. Peel and medium dice the russet potatoes. Before adding the potatoes to the pot of boiling water, season with water with a good handful of salt. Cook the potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes until fork tender. While the potatoes cook, cut up 1-1/2 sticks of butter into tablespoon portions and finely chop the chives.

Once tender, drain the potatoes, then return them to the warm pot. Add 8 tablespoons of butter (1 stick), salt, and pepper then place the lid on the pot. Give the butter some time to melt, then whip the potatoes with an electric hand mixer on a high speed. Smooth out the potatoes by adding up to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Once whipped to the consistency you like, add in the chopped chives and whip the potatoes a bit longer. Add in up to another half a stick of butter, taste for salt and pepper, and cover the potatoes until ready to serve. Before serving, give the potatoes another good mix to incorporate the melted butter.

Haricots vert is just a fancy name for green beans! While they aren’t my favorite green vegetable, when cooked properly, I do enjoy them. Heat a large nonstick pan with a lid and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat. Add 1 pound of haricots vert to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, moving the haricots vert frequently. Add your favorite all-purpose seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the haricots vert and cook for an additional 5 minutes, moving the pan occasionally. Remove the lid, add the butter and fresh tarragon, and continue to cook for another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how firm or soft you like your vegetables.

Plating is always my favorite part of cooking, and you can really get creative with chops. They can be plated individually, or served family-style with the sides. You can mound up the potatoes so that you can balance the chops upright and fill in the plate with the haricots vert. You could also smear the potatoes across the plate, then gingerly place the chops and haricots vert around the potatoes. Feel free to be as creative as you like, but most importantly, enjoy this delicious recipe for Herb & Garlic Lamb Chops with Whipped Chive Potatoes & Tarragon Haricots Vert.

Happy cooking!