How to woo a carnivore
Lamb rib chops with hazelnut pesto falls into the category of a luxurious treat, and allows you to reserve your energy for entertaining.
I’ve tried cooking racks of lamb and rib chops, as they are known when cut into individual pieces, in every way imaginable. This simple method wins over all others. The lamb is rich. So plan to serve two or three chops per person. It’s important to prepare this lamb dish medium rare. If it is too done (solid brown throughout and dense to the touch), it loses its juiciness and becomes tough and no fun to eat. Too rare (still raw in center), and it’s hard to cut, and a lot of work to chew. If you want your lamb to be just right, this is a great approach.
I like the lamb from New Zealand that Costco sells. The quality is excellent, and it’s about half the price of what you’d find at a good grocery store. These lamb shanks do not have excessive fat, as some do. If you find your lamb has more than ⅛” thick layer of fat, then trim a bit off.
A grill pan is perfect for this preparation. They leave sear marks on the meat and allow the fat to fall below the surface of the meat. However, a plain large plain cast iron pan also works just fine. If you’re looking for a good grill pan, you can spend a lot. But this version is super affordable and reversible, meaning it’s flat on one side (great for pancakes!) and has ridges on the other side for dishes such as this.
The hazelnut pesto will be slightly crunchy from the toasted nuts, tangy with lemon, and smooth enough to slather over each bite. After you toast the nuts, there is no cooking involved. Just whiz it all together in a food processor!
Serve your lamb and pesto with a tidy round of Mushroom Bread Pudding and a few spears of roasted asparagus.
Table manners note: it’s perfectly acceptable to hold your lamb by the bone with your fingers and gingerly nibble away. That’s half the fun.