If you are looking for a dish that can bring some serious “wow factor” to the table then look no further. This lamb recipe is ridiculously easy and takes less than 30 minutes to create!
I came up with this recipe for the Taste of American Recipe Challenge (which I just so happened to win!) hosted by the World Food Championships. For the challenge I had to create a dish using black walnut flavored limoncello from a little distillery in my hometown of Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia called the Bloomery SweetShine Distillery.
For the competition I wanted to try something completely out of my comfort zone so I went out on a limb and decided to make lamb. I had never worked with lamb and to be honest it can be kind of an intimating ingredient because there is a fine line between tender juicy and gnawing on rubber. However, marinading your lamb is a surefire way to guarantee that it turns out juicy and delicious!
For the competition I marinaded my lamb in the limoncello but I realize that most people do not have the pleasure of living next door to a distillery. For those unlucky folks I modified my recipe to replace the walnut liquor with balsamic vinegar and it turned out just as delicious! All you have to do is follow the simple steps below and you will soon be dinning on a feast fit for a queen!
- 4 Lamb Chops
- 2 Sprigs of Rosemary
- ¼ c. Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbs. Garlic
- ½ lb. Fresh Cherries (pitted)
- 1 ½ c. Balsamic Vinegar
- Parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together ½ cup balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic until combined and season with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade into a zip block bag or airtight container along with the lamb chops and rosemary. Marinade the lamb overnight or for at least one hour, turning occasionally to make sure everything is coated. Let the lamb stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
- Meanwhile, wilt pitted cherries in a sauce pan on medium heat to release some of the juices. Once the cherries have started to reduce add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar. Reduce for 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet on high heat. Remove the lamb chops from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Sear the lamb chops in the cast iron skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Place the skillet with the lamb chops into the preheated oven for 10 minutes or less for medium rare.
- Coat the lamb chops in the cherry sauce and drizzle the rest over top. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!