Rosemary Lamb Chops with Cherry Tomato Relish and warm Butterbean Puree

Lynne and I have been having some fun, finding recipes and making new dishes each week.  We haven’t had Lamb chops in ages, so this looked really interesting.  The Butterbean puree was excellent, and the tomato relish was out of this world!!  Overall, a fairly easy dish to make – probably took about 20 minutes total.  Once again, a keeper from Redbook Magazine!

Ingredients:

Lamb Chops:

8 loin chops, 1 inch thick

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

4 oz thinly sliced pancetta, chopped

1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves

Tomato Relish:

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs mint jelly

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced, or crushed through a press

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Pinch of Kosher salt

Butter Bean Puree:

2 tbs butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 – 16 oz) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup milk

3 tbs heavy cream

2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Kosher salt

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1)      Butter Bean Puree: In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, and cook till translucent – about 3 minutes.  Add beans, milk and cream.  Bring to a boil, then  reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or so, or until beans are very soft.  Mash beans coarsely.  Stir in parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

2)      Lamb Chops:  Heat broiler to high.  Sprinkle chops with pepper, and place in a shallow roasting pan.  Sprinkle pancetta around the chops, and broil for 4 – 5 minutes.  Turn, sprinkle with rosemary, and broil for another 4 – 5 minutes.  Remove chops to a plate, and cover loosely with foil.  Reserve pancetta and rosemary.

3)      Tomato Relish: In a small sauce pan, whisk oil, jelly, vinegar and garlic.  Cook over low heat until jelly melts.  Stir in tomatoes, and salt, and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add pancetta, rosemary and any juices from the broiling pan. 

4)      Re heat puree, serve chops with relish ladled over the top.

Grilled Chicken Sausage with Warm Chickpea Salad

Grilled Chicken Sausage with Warm Chickpea Salad

This is a simple but tasty meal, a recipe I got from Red Book Magazine.  Its the perfect recipe for a tasty meal when you really don't feel much like cooking!

Ingredients:

8 fully cooked chicken sausages, cut into 1” pieces

4 tbs olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 (15 oz) cans chick peas, rinsed

2 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

4 jarred roasted red and yellow peppers, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

16 pitted Kalamata olives

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

4 cups arugula

½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1)      Pre heat grill (or grill pan – or sauté pan if you don’t have one) Grill sausage pieces until browned – about 7 or 8 minutes.  I used a pan designed to grill small things on a gas grill – essentially a frying pan full of holes.

2)      As sausages cook,  in a large skillet, heat 2 tbs olive oil over med high heat, till shimmering.  Add garlic and cook till translucent.  Add chick peas, thyme, salt, and pepper, and stir till heated through – about 2 minutes.  Stir in peppers, tomatoes, olives, and heat through – about another 2 minutes.

3)      Pour chick pea mixture into a large bowl.  Stir in remaining 2 tbs oil, lemon zest, and the lemon juice.  Add arugula, tossing gently to combine. 

4)      Serve sausages with chickpea salad.  Top with cheese.

Tortellini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Crispy Prosciutto Chips

This is a great, simple recipe - easily an every night type supper.  Serves about 6 - probably closer to 5, but definitely dinner for 2, then lunch for 2 with leftovers.  A simple supper :

Ingredients:
4 tbs olive oil
4 ox prosciutto, sliced crosswise, thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz oil packed, sliced sun dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/4 lb cheese tortellini
Salt and Pepper to taste
5 oz Arugula greens
Juice/zest from one lemon
Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Bring 4 qts water to boil in sauce pan.  Heat oil in large skillet over med high heat, till shimmering.  Add prosciutto, and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy.  Add pasta to boiling water.

Remove prosciutto to plate with paper towel.  Add garlic to pan, heat till fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add tomatoes.  Stir frequently, until heated throughout.

When pasta cooked to al dente, add to pan with tomatoes and garlic, and stir till well mixed.   Off heat, add arugula, and stir until leaves are glossy and reduced.  Season with salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice.... serve with fresh grated parmesan, and prosciutto crisps.
We had it with a nice Barbera (2008 Montevina, Amador, CA about 10 bucks.)