Recipe

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Lamb:

• 4 lamb loin chops
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed
• ¼ cup butter, divided
• ¼ cup minced shallots
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup beef broth

For the Fennel and Feta Salad:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
• Pepper to taste
• 1 head of fennel
• 1 blood orange, peel cut off and sliced into rounds
• ¼ cup feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Make the salad:

In a mixing bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper, sumac, salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Cut the fronds off of the fennel, saving the feathery leaves for garnish. Cut the fennel bulb in half vertically, and very thinly slice them lengthwise (a mandolin is great for this). Add the fennel and parsley to the bowl with the lemon dressing, and toss to combine. Arrange the salad on a serving dish and top with the orange slices, feta, pine nuts and extra parsley and sumac if desired.

2. Cook the lamb:

Season your lamb chops with the thyme leaves, salt, and a generous amount of pepper, pressing the thyme and pepper into the chops. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with the oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add your lamb loin chops and sear until crusty, browned, and fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.

3. Make the red wine sauce:

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board to rest. Pour off the fat from the pan, reserving the browned bits. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring often, until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce and gently stir to incorporate butter as it melts.

4. Plate and serve:

Slice your lamb and divide the slices between 2 plates. Drizzle lamb with pan sauce and serve alongside the fennel and feta salad.