Paired with a Sour or American Brett
Why hello there, friends! Happy Wednesday! I hope you guys are having a wonderful week! It is has been pretty uneventful around here and kind of dreary and cold too. I was really starting to get used to those beautiful sunny and 65 degree days. But hey, we chose to live in Wyoming. So here we are, and I plan to bunker down, nestle by the fireplace, and hibernate until May.
This whole hibernating all winter thing is OK though because that gives me the chance to experiment in the kitchen, and I’ve been all about simple, yet flavorful dinners lately. More recently I found a recipe for lamb chops and acorn squash in a magazine. The whole recipe was for the most part cooked on the grill, which I didn’t quite understand for a magazine released in the fall. Hey, we all don’t live in Southern California! While Zach doesn’t mind going out in negative degree temps to grill, I am not about it; so I altered the recipe so that everything can be done on the stove-top and in the oven.
The result? These beautiful pan-seared lamb chops with roasted acorn squash and artichoke puree! These three components contain some of my all-time favorite ingredients. Feel free to sub out the squash for one to your liking: Butternut, winter, spaghetti…the choice is yours! I also chose a lamb loin chop because it looked the best at the butcher. Feel free to sub in a different cut of meat if you wish!
This recipe has to end up on your dinner tables at some point this fall! Pair it with a sour or American brett. It will surprise you, but sours work so well with lamb, artichokes, and squash. I hope you guys enjoy the recipe. Have a wonderful day! xo
Yields 6
10 minPrep Time
50 minCook Time
1 hrTotal Time
Ingredients
- 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed (approximately 28 ounces)
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (more as needed)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 large acorn squash, cut in half, seeds discarded and sliced into 1-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- 6 lamb loin chops
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade basil
Instructions
- To a high-powered blender, add the artichoke hearts, mayo, Greek yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add more olive oil or lemon juice to thin out if you find that the puree is too thick to your liking. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, toss the acorn squash, olive oil, and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Pour the squash onto the baking sheet. Roast the squash for about 25-30 minutes, flipping once until it's tender and slightly golden. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Season the lamb loin chops generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 10 minutes for medium-rare (continue roasting until the lamb is done to your liking). Remove from heat, cover and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Serve the lamb and roasted squash on top of the artichoke puree (or on the side). Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and chiffonade basil. Enjoy!