Pan-Roasted T-Bone Chops with Salsa Verde
Here, lamb pairs with a vibrant and flavor-packed herb sauce for a simple but impressive summer dinner. Count on 2 chops per person for light eaters and 3 chops for those with heartier appetites. Serve over grilled or sautéed corn to complete the meal.
Ingredients
For the salsa verde:
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 anchovy fillet, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes, drained
and patted dry - 1 1/4 cups (1 1/2 oz./45 g) firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
leaves - 1/4 cup (1/4 oz./7 g) packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. white or red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
8 to 12 bone-in T-bone or loin lamb chops, 2 to 2 1/2 lb.
(1 to 1.25 kg) total, each about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. unsalted butter
Directions
To make the salsa verde, in a mini food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the anchovy, parsley, mint, capers, mustard and vinegar and pulse until smooth. Add the olive oil and pulse until evenly blended and thick. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend the flavors. (Make the salsa verde no more than 3 to 4 hours in advance for the most vibrant color. If that’s not possible, the sauce can be tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours).
Remove the lamb chops from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat an oven to 250ºF (120ºC). Pat the chops dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Place a large ovenproof fry pan over high heat and warm the olive oil until it begins to shimmer, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and reduce the heat to medium-high. When the butter foams, add the chops without letting them touch. Sear without moving them until crusty and golden, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn the chops over and sear for 2 minutes more. Lift each chop with tongs and sear all the fatty edges, about 45 seconds per chop.
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the chops until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a chop, away from the bone, registers 130ºF (54ºC) for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes, or until done to your liking.
Transfer the chops to a platter and let rest for about 5 minutes. Top with the salsa verde and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Cook and The Butcher, by Brigit Binns (Weldon Owen, 2011).