Prime Pairings

from Thirst Colorado May-June 2021

Scientific Methods

Exclusively Colorado Lamb Chops

By Kristin Owens

Hello Summer! Nothing welcomes summertime outdoorsy living like using fresh local vegetables. Now, just add in some Coloradoraised lamb and voilà. You’ll impress everyone at the next cookout. Here’s an easy recipe to try – no fancy knife skills required or esoteric ingredients difficult to find. In fact, most of these components are Coloradoproud and carried at the local grocery store or farmer’s market. And if you’ve never made lamb, no more excuses. It’s so simple, you’ll add this one to your grilling repertoire.

Pair with

It’s a hearty meal, so we recommend Elevation’s 8 Second Kölsch, an exceptionally well-crafted beer to neutralize the big tastes on your plate. With its dry finish, this beer cleanses the palate for more delicious dinner mouthfuls. This ale that thinks it’s a lager is classically balanced. Plus, aesthetically, the golden straw color brightens the table. No bitterness plus no cloying sweetness equals big drinkability.

Ingredients

4 lamb loin chops (sourced from Superior Farms in Denver) 1 ½ pounds of Fingerling potatoes (sourced from Strohauer Farms in LaSalle) Shitake mushrooms (sourced from Hazel Dell in Fort Collins)

Arugula microgreens (sourced from Infinite Harvest in Lakewood) freshly chopped mint (sourced from Osage Gardens in New Castle) 2 tbsp minced garlic ½ cup olive oil 2 tbsp butter salt and pepper to taste Marinade:

3 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp lemon juice 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar finely chopped mint

Salad dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

Start: three hours ahead Prep time: 30 minutes

Combine all marinade ingredients with the lamb chops into a quart-sized sealing bag. Massage the marinade to cover the chops completely. Refrigerate for three hours. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut potatoes into quarters and place in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, garlic, and mix thoroughly. Assemble as a single layer in a glass baking pan (easier to clean) and bake for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heat grill to 500 degrees. Remove lamb chops from marinade and sear on one side. Flip over for additional 4-5 minutes, depending on thickness. Center should be bright pink. Let rest under tinfoil. Slice mushroom caps into strips and brown in a saucepan with butter for about 5 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Dress arugula salad with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Arrange chops on plate, garnish with remaining mint. Serve with mushrooms, potatoes, and arugula as sides.

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