by Chef Erwin Mallet
At first glance, the meaty lollipop looks like a mystery as how to cook to perfection. Chef Erwin Mallet has come to the rescue of home cooks everywhere, revealing his most important recipe steps for the mouth-watering Mediterranean Colorado Lamb Chops as featured on Villa Azur’s menu.
Suggested Pairing: A lovely Pinot Noir and great friends. Cheers!
Chef Mallet's Mediterranean Colorado Lamb Chops
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 12 lamb chops
- 12 baby carrots
- 400 gr French peas
- 1/2 bunch of mint
- 4 ounces dry apricot
- 3 ounces brown sugar
- 1 ounce honey
- 2 ounces rice wine vinegar
- 1 ounce Raz el hanout spice
- 10 ounces Lamb stock demi glacé (or veal stock)
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper
- Almonds
1st: Prep of the side:
- Dip the baby carrots in boiled and salted water for 5 min and then put it in iced water.
- Dip the French peas in boiled and salted water for 2 min and then put them in iced water.
- Strain the carrots and the French peas on towel.
- Blend the French peas with mint, salt and pepper.
- Ground the almond but not too small and roast in the oven for 350 for 6 min.
2nd: The sauce:
- In a pan pour the vinegar, 2 oz of brown sugar and the raz el hanout spice.
- Cook until caramelized and deglaze with lamb stock.
- Reduce for 10 min on low heat. Add half off the dry apricot and blend. Keep warm in a pan and heat the rest of the apricot (sliced beforehand)
3rd: Cook and plate:
- Heat a fry pan on a burner (high heat), add a little bit of olive oil and cook the lamb chop for 30 seconds, then change side and add butter, lower the burner, turn the side of lamb after 1 min. Cook for 30 seconds more and keep the lamb on paper towel.
- Degrease your fry pan, add brown sugar, honey and 1oz of cold butter. Once the butter melts, roast the baby carrots in this mix until caramelized.
- At the same time heat up the mashed French peas.
- Plate a circle of mashed French peas, arrange nicely the lamb chop, the baby carrots, glaze the chop with a dressing and keep some on a side.
- Top with the roasted almonds and decorate with some mint leaves
Bon appétit!