What I Ate For Dinner

Lamb chops are a luxury, to be sure, but one that can be easily assimilated into your rotation. The chop I got today cost $3 alone at $13/pound. Keeping in mind that about half its weight is bone, the price of the meaty medallion is close to that of filet mignon. But when it's on stage with some of its hearty homies, it doesn't have to do all the talking. Tonight, I feature a simple preparation for lamb chops that works well on the stove top, but even better on the grill. Holdin' it down with the chop are wasabi-balsamic mashed potatoes and green beans almondine, which makes for a dynamic meal that runs the range from hearty to spicy to subtle to crunchy. Since you'll have an oily marinade, the lamb is perfect for the grill, but "baron" mind that if you sear it on the stove top, you won't have to add much oil to the pan.

Start by slicing a deep pocket in the lamb medallion. Spoon in a mixture of olive oil, parm, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, or the classic mint), salt and pepper. Drizzle some more of that mix on top of the chop as a marinade. You really don't have to marinate this, though, since the adjuncts are already inside the chop. Finish on the grill, ideally, or sear on the stove. Careful, though, not to overcook: since there's a bone, and lamb chops are usually only about an inch thick to begin with, they won't take too long.

For the mashed potatoes, start by boiling peeled and diced russets (you could also use red new potatoes, which don't have to be peeled) until soft. Drain, and add chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, parm, caramelized shallot, a bit of balsamic and wasabi (to taste). Cream it up with milk or half and half and some butter. Mix it up until you get the consistency you like. Add less milk the first time around, since it's easier to add more milk than to peel, dice, and boil more potato.

Finish the plate with green beans almondine. Sauté green beans in olive oil or the fat rendered from diced bacon. Add shaved almonds, season, and deglaze with white wine. Simmer until the green beans are soft but still have structure and have turned a brighter green. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes.