I tested this Witchel Family Lamb Chops recipe by Alex Witchel for the New York Times I-don’t-care-to-count-how-many years ago. Do not underestimate the deliciousness of this easy recipe. When lamb chops are on sale (especially my favorites with the long rib bone) I buy enough for several dinners, then pack them in airtight freezer bags and store them for when I really do not want to cook. I defrost them overnight in the fridge or by using a quick-defrost method.
If you make this recipe be sure to season the chops well and get them crisp and caramelized along the bone. But don’t overcook; to keep them tender and moist you’ll want them pink in the middle. Serve with a simple salad – sliced cucumber and/or tomato and some sweet onion dressed with oil and vinegar. If you think it needs more, cook some couscous in chicken broth. This is a really good dinner that needs no apology for the twenty minutes it takes to put together, and how quickly it can be brought to table.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle garlic powder and seasoned salt liberally on both sides of chops.
2. Place chops on broiling pan. Broil to taste, turning chops halfway through. Eyes should become crisp, not burnt, and meat along bone should be almost caramelized.
Denise Landis had been employed as an archeologist for seven years before a food editor hired her to test some recipes from a cookbook manuscript. This short stint led to longer assignments, and two years later she began testing recipes for the New York Times. She has been a professional recipe tester and editor for over 25 years, is the author of a New York Times cookbook, and has written for numerous publications. She is a member of the New York Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier.