Herb-crusted Lamb Chops with Celery Root Gratin

This succulent Lamp Chop recipe was taken from the archives of our own kitchen. This tender lamb, is best enjoyed when paired with an Anselmo Vineyards red wine.

Ingredients:
4TBSP Unsalted Butter
4TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large yellow onion, about 1/2lb, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Large Yukon gold potatoes, about 2lb. total weight peeled and cut into slices 1/8 in thick
1 Celery Root, about 1lb. peeled and cut into slices 1/8 inch thick
1/3 Cup Dry White Wine
About 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1/3 Heavy Cream
12 Lamb Rib Chops, 3 ½ – 4 lb. total weight, each about 1 ½ inches thick, trimmed
½ cup minced mixed fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley, thyme, mint, marjoram, and rosemary
1 TBSP Dijon Mustard
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a small oval baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and sauté’ until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Distribute half of the onion slices in the prepared dish and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Top with a layer of potato and celery root slices, slightly overlapping and season again. Repeat the layers with the remaining vegetables, seasoning each layer.

In a saucepan over medium – high heat, combine wine, 1/3 cup of broth, and the cream and bring almost to a boil. Carefully pour the hot liquid evenly over the vegetables. Add more broth as needed so the liquid comes halfway up the sides of the dish. Dot the top with bits of the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, push down on the vegetables with a spatula, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the vegetables tender when pierced with a knife tip, about 30 minutes longer. Re-cover the dish with aluminum foil and let the gratin stand for 15-20 minutes.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Season the lamb chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the herbs, mustard, and garlic. Spread the herb mixture on both sides of the chops. Place an oiled flat rack in a large roasting pan. Arrange the lamb chops on the rack and roast until and instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop away from bone registers 135 degrees for medium-rare, 15 – 17 minutes. Remove from the oven lightly tent the chops with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

For each serving, arrange 2 chops and a spoonful of the gratin on a warmed plate. Serve right away. Makes 6 servings.