Rib Lamb Chops with Balsamic Stout Glaze and Mint Dipping Sauce

• 1 bottle stout
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar (you do not need to use an expensive vinegar as cooking it down mellows and sweetens it)
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• salt
• pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
• 1-2 tbsp agave or honey
• 7-8 rib lamb chops (I cut mine from a rack of lamb.  If buying rib chops, 4-6 may suffice, as they are usually a bit thicker. Also if you want the lamb very rare and the outside crisp, use double chops about 1” – 1 ½” thick)

Combine stout, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice in small, heavy bottomed saucepan, Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously until reduced by about three quarters or until syrupy thick – about 20 – 30 minutes.

Coat one side of chops with glaze, broil or grill for 2-3 minutes, less for rare, turn over, coat with glaze and broil or grill.

Bring remaining glaze to boil then simmer for a minute or two to kill any bacteria from meat.  Add fresh mint and agave.  Serve with lamb chops either spooning over or using as dipping sauce.

 

Truffle Mashed Potatoes

• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 – ½ tbsp truffle butter
• ¼ - ½ cup milk or cream or half and half
• salt
• pepper

Bring pot of water to boil, add salt.  Add potatoes and cook until fork tender.  Drain. Add butter, some of the milk (add more as needed) salt and pepper to taste to potatoes and whip with immersion blender or mash by hand.

 

Baked Parmesan Asparagus

• asparagus (1 bundle)
• extra virgin olive oil
• grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
• pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Choose one asparagus spear, hold at ends and bend until it breaks.  This is the point where the asparagus gets tender.  Place the upper portion of the spear in line with the tips of the rest of asparagus and cut the remaining asparagus at the same point.

Place in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with Parmesan. Sprinkle with black pepper.  I don’t use salt, as the Parmesan itself is salty.

Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes until tender and ends are crisp and slightly brown at edges. Asparagus should remain bright green.

Serve lamb chops with potatoes and asparagus. Garnish with sprig of mint.

 

 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Sorbet

• Stemmed strawberries
• Semi-sweet or dark chocolate
• Strawberry or raspberry sorbet
• Fresh mint for garnish
• Aluminum foil

Make a bain-marie either by using a metal bowl over a pot or a double boiler.  Bring water (1” – 2”) to boil then reduce to simmer.  Place chocolate in bowl and cook until melted, a few minutes. Whisk chocolate a few times to make smooth then dip strawberries and place on aluminum foil.

Refrigerate to hard chocolate.

 

Serve with sorbet.  Garnish with mint.