Balsamic Vinegar-Glazed Lamb Chops

Copyright 2007 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients:
½ lb. lamb chops, French cut (about three pieces)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T dijon mustard
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T fresh rosemary, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup fava beans, shelled
sea salt and pepper

Salt and pepper your lamb chops, then coat with olive oil and rosemary. (Remember to season and coat both sides.) Really work the rosemary in the chops by massaging the herbs with your fingers. Set aside.

Prepare your fava beans by removing beans from the pods, then blanching them in a bot of boiling water (remember to salt your water) for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then put the beans in a bowl of cold water. Remove the exterior skin. Set beans aside with tomatoes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, sugar, mustard and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a large saute pan or skillet, cook the lamb chops over medium high heat for about 2 minutes on each side. Right before you’re almost done cooking both sides of the lamb, add about half of the balsamic vinegar mixture. Cook for another minute on high heat to create a slight glaze on your chops. (Flip your chops to get the coating on both sides.) Remove your chops and let them rest.

In the same skillet, add the rest of your balsamic vinegar mixture and cook over medium high heat with tomatoes and fava beans for about two minutes to let the sauce reduce a bit and let your tomatoes get a bit tender. When done, place on bottom of plate and pile on your chops.

Makes 1 serving. Serve with polenta or roasted rosemary red potatoes.

Pair with a glass of Syrah.

TIP: If you don’t have brown sugar or don’t necessarily like the deep flavor of brown sugar, then you can replace with regular sugar. You just need some kind of sugary substance to help create a quicker glaze effect when the balsamic vinegar starts to reduce. Also, if you don’t feel like tomatoes and fava beans, you can replace with mixed spring greens and drizzle the balsamic vinegar sauce over the salad as the dressing.

ON A BUDGET? TRY PORK: Even though I love lamb, I’ve found that French cut lamb chops can be pretty expensive. So you can do this same recipe using pork chops; just be sure to get the ones with the bones still on. You can save lamb for special occasions or when you feel like splurging.