Grilled Lamb Chops and Buttered Spinach with Vinegar

Today was a great day.  We went to a manatee performance of Mac Beth at the Troutt Theater on the Belmont University campus.  It was a very inventive production.  Jim and I really like the witches.  They were ballerinas and dressed in white; they came and went like ghosts.  The theater is beautiful and very intimate.  Not a bad seat in the house.  Then we went out to dinner.  My brother and his wife gave us for Christmas a gift certificate to what is becoming one of my favorite restaurants in Nashville, Stoney River; they always have sea bass, my favorite.  I also had a $20 dollar off coupon from the paper, almost a free meal.  They also have amazing wines by the glass. 

Last night I trusted Jim on the grille and he actually paid attention and it turned out.  We had grilled lamb chops from a recipe by Giada De Laurentis.

Ingredients: 

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 T fresh rosemary leaves

1 t fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Coarse sea salt

2 T EVOO

6 lamb chops, about ¾” thick (Mine were 1 ¾” thick so we had to adjust the cooking time.) 

Directions:

1.       In a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt.  Pulse until combined.  Pour in the EVOO and pulse into a paste.

2.       Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb shops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. 

3.       Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes. 

4.       Heat a grill pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes.  (We did ours on the grille outside.) Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium rare and 3 ½ minutes for medium.

These were delicious.  I tried again with the Rice Quinoa from Trader Jo’s.  I used Chicken broth and soaked and cooked like I always do rice.  It still took longer and did not taste any better.  For our vegetable I made Butter Spinach with Vinegar from February’s Bon Appétit.  Stick to the garlic and EVOO for cooked spinach.  The vinegar did nothing and the butter was too much. 

Ingredients:

4 bunches flat-leaf spinach, trimmed, rinsed, with some water clinging (I have no idea what this means.  I had a very large container of baby spinach from Costco.)

6T unsalted butter

2 t red wine vinegar

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1.       Gradually add spinach to a large dry pot over medium heat, allowing it to wilt between additions; cook until tender, 5-8 minutes.

2.       Drain; press to remove liquid.  Wipe out the pot.

3.       Melt butter in same pot over medium heat.  Add spinach and the vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and more vinegar, if desired; toss to coat. 

The saving grace of the meal was the wine.  Jim served Chateau Haut-Chaigneau, 1996, from Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux and it was great.