When it comes to succulent and flavorful dishes, few things can beat a perfectly cooked lamb chop. Paired with a creamy spinach and turnip purée, this classic culinary combination offers a delightful balance of textures and flavors. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting out, creating this dish can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. In this comprehensive guide, we'll take you through the process of selecting the finest ingredients, preparing the lamb chops and purée, and presenting your dish like a professional chef.
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BUTTERED TURNIP PUREE
Steps:
- Combine the turnips, milk, thyme and garlic in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and partially cover the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the turnips are tender-the tip of a paring knife should go through without resistance.
- Drain the turnips, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer to a food processor (discard the thyme sprigs). Add about 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and the butter, season with plenty of salt and pepper and puree until smooth. Add more of the liquid, if necessary. Serve hot.
PARSNIP PUREE
Steps:
- Put parsnips in a pot, season with salt and cover with milk and cream. Add garlic, bay and thyme and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until tender, the tip of a paring knife should easily go through without resistance, about 12 to 15 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid.
- Place parsnips in a food processor with butter and pour in enough of the reserved milk mixture to puree the parsnips and achieve the texture of whipped cream. Season with salt and pepper then finish with a sprinkle of parsley.
BUTTERED TURNIP PUREE
Steps:
- Add turnips, milk, thyme and garlic to a medium-sized sauce pot. Set over medium heat and place the lid over the pot so it is just covering. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until tender - the tip of a paring knife should go through without resistance.
- Remove the thyme and remove 2 cups of the liquid. Drain and place turnips back into the same pan and blend using an immersion blender or place to a food processor. Add butter and about 1 cup of the milk cooking liquid and blend. Season with salt and pepper and puree until smooth. Add more of the milk if necessary.
SPRING LAMB WITH ROSEMARY AND TURNIPS
For a fragrant spring meal, choose the tenderest cut of lamb, the rack, and roast it over rosemary branches as done in this recipe. Roast two racks for guests with heartier appetites, but one really is enough for four servings. You'll want to use small, sweet new turnips here, no bigger than Ping-Pong balls. But if you can't find them, use the smallest turnips available or cut medium turnips into wedges. And if your turnips don't have their tops, substitute them with spinach, mizuna or other tender cooking greens.
Provided by David Tanis
Time 2h
Yield 4 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, and rub the herbs into the surface of the lamb. Arrange rosemary sprigs on the bottom of a roasting pan. Lay lamb rack(s) over sprigs. Let meat come to room temperature before roasting.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Roast lamb, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 125 degrees (for medium-rare). Let rest on a cutting board.
- Put turnips in a wide medium saucepan over medium heat and cover with 1 inch of water. Season with salt, add butter and bring to a brisk simmer. When turnips are fork-tender, about 5 minutes, add greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 more minutes. If desired, bring the water to a boil and let evaporate. Let turnips brown slightly in the remaining butter, if you like.
- Cut lamb racks into 4 thick chops or 8 thin chops, slicing between the bones.
GRILLED LAMB CHOPS AND SPICY LOBSTER WITH GARDEN PUREE
Steps:
- Make the Garden Puree: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas, asparagus tips, and green beans and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 3 minutes. (If you're using frozen peas, you can throw them in during the last minute to thaw.) Drain, transfer to a bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking, and drain again. Save a few pieces of each vegetable to use as garnish. Puree the cooled greens in a food processor while pouring in the olive oil. Add the ricotta and scallions and process again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; set aside.
- For the lamb chops: Brush the lamb chops with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- For the lobster: In a small saucepan over low heat melt the butter with the tomato, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes to break down the tomato; set aside. Coat the lobster tails with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Grill them shell side down for about 5 minutes. Turn them over and spoon on some of the tomato butter; cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and keep warm.
- To serve: Spoon a generous mound of the Garden Puree onto a plate. Place a lamb chop on top of the Garden Puree and place a lobster tail next to that. Spoon some more tomato butter over the lobster. Garnish the lamb chop with the reserved vegetables and some mint leaves.
Tips:
- To ensure your lamb chops are cooked perfectly, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. For medium-rare, cook to 135°F (57°C), for medium, cook to 145°F (63°C), and for well-done, cook to 160°F (71°C).
- If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can also check the doneness of your lamb chops by pressing on them with your finger. If they spring back when you press them, they are medium-rare. If they are slightly firm, they are medium. If they are hard, they are well-done.
- To make the turnip puree extra smooth, use a food processor or blender to puree it until it is completely smooth.
- If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also mash the turnips by hand with a potato masher.
- To add extra flavor to the spinach, sauté it in some olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Serve the lamb chops with the turnip puree and spinach immediately.
Conclusion:
This recipe for lamb chops and spinach and turnip puree is a delicious and elegant dish that is perfect for a special occasion. The lamb chops are cooked to perfection and the turnip puree and spinach are both flavorful and creamy. This dish is sure to impress your guests.
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