Mediterranean Baked Lamb Chops with Root Vegetables
Sheet Pan Mediterranean Baked Lamb Chops with Root Vegetables. A special marinade with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and warm spices adds all the flavor.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 lamb loin chops, each about 1 1/2 inch in thickness
- kosher salt
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 head of garlic, about 12 to 14 cloves, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice,
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet Spanish paprika,
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large red onion, peeled, halved then thickly sliced
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into large pieces
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- honey, to drizzle
- fresh parsley for garnish
To serve along:
- 1 Tahini Sauce Recipe optional
Instructions
- Season the lamb and preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season both sides of the lamb chops with kosher salt. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare acorn squash. Microwave the acorn squash for 1 to 2 minutes; this helps soften it a bit for cutting. When cool enough to handle, place acorn squash on a cutting board. Cut the stem off and trim both ends about 1/4 inch. Cut acorn squash in half crosswise, and scoop out the seeds. Now, take each half and cut into 1/2-inch thick rings.
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, combine minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Mix well. (Leave remaining spices for later.)
- Dip vegetables in marinade. Add the vegetables (sliced acorn squash, onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots) to the marinade bowl with the garlic marinade. You may need to do this in stages. Give them a quick toss, then transfer vegetables to a large sheet pan. Season with kosher salt.
- Marinate lamb. To the marinade bowl, add more extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and the remaining spices. Mix well. Add lamb chops and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate while you roast the vegetables.
- Bake vegetables. Place vegetables in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Sear the lamb. While the vegetables are roasting, sear the lamb. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add lamb chops and sear on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Put everything together. Once the vegetables have roasted for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, transfer the lamb to the sheet pan with the vegetables, and place back in the oven for 10 minutes. The vegetables should be fork-tender, and the lamb will be cooked to medium-rare to medium.
- Drizzle with honey. Immediately drizzle honey all over the lamb and vegetables. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with parsley.
- Rest and Enjoy! Let lamb chops sit for 10 minutes before serving to keep them tender and moist. Serve with Tahini sauce.
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Salt the lamb chops before you do anything else to allow the salt some time to flavor and tenderize the lamb chops.
- Cook's Tip #2: While the extra virgin olive oil provides juiciness, and the spices provide flavor, we need the added acid from the white wine vinegar to help break down the lamb chops so that the spices penetrate more deeply. That's why the white wine vinegar is added to the marinade at a later point.
- Cook's Tip #3: Let the baked lamb chops rest for 10 minutes or so before cutting into them. This allows them to retain their juices and stay nice and tender.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Heat in a medium-heated oven, adding a little liquid to the pan.
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 495.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.3g | Protein: 19.9g | Fat: 39.5g | Saturated Fat: 14.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 83.9mg | Sodium: 93.3mg | Potassium: 620.1mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 2.6g | Vitamin A: 6944.6IU | Vitamin C: 8.9mg | Calcium: 60.2mg | Iron: 2.7mg
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