Seared Lamb Chops With Lemon and Butter-Braised Potatoes

By Sam Sifton

Seared Lamb Chops With Lemon and Butter-Braised Potatoes
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Rating
4(398)
Comments
Read comments

This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen.

Cut some yellow potatoes into chunks and put them in a deep skillet set over medium-high heat, along with some chopped onions and a few tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring often, then add enough chicken stock, water or wine so that the potatoes are almost covered. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, massage as many lamb chops as you need with minced garlic, salt, pepper and a little oil, then sear them in a hot cast-iron pan, finishing them in a 425-degree oven with rosemary and some thinly sliced lemons until the lamb is just pink inside, about 10 minutes, maybe fewer. Garnish with thyme or rosemary if you have it and serve alongside the potatoes. A fine midweek meal!

Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
398 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Charles Michener

I suggest rubbing the lamb chops with a whole or half clove of garlic. If you mince it, rub it into the chops and then sear them, the garlic will likely burn and taste bitter. You can intensify the garlic/rosemary flavor by first gently sauteeing minced garlic and rosemary in the oil, careful not to let them burn, for about five minutes or a little more. Then discard the garlic and rosemary and massage the chops with the flavored oil before searing them.

Ara Darakjian

This was really good, especially the lamb chops. I think the non-recipe recipe ought to say "cover the potatoes and simmer." The liquid boiled away and had to be replenished. Next time I might boil the spuds first and then finish them in butter. An excellent meal.

Maria

I never write but I needed to tell you much I enjoy your no recipe column. Every one of your no recipies have been wonderful! Today was simply perfect!

Frank

First time to a ‘no recipe’ recipe but I wished there were a few more instructions. Even though I tried to cut potatoes evenly some were finished before others. I wondered how these potatoes would ever get brown and crispy looking like the image shown with so much liquid to reduce. Well they can’t. Agreed with another commentator, covering the potatoes would have helped. Flavor was good overall but I wished I had just roasted the potatoes because that is what I was hoping for.

Jorge Rodriguez

This was perfect. I love to cook and just for me it was plenty. I marinated the chops about one hour before. I also Added seasoning. Being that I’d did not have fresh rosemary I replace it with a leaf of basil, chopped. I cook it for ten minutes in butter. After the 10 minutes I added the chicken broth plus some white wine, salt and pepper plus paprika. It cooked well and there was plenty of sauce at the end. I emptied in a bowl and save some liquid for the chops that I browned in the same skillet I Made the potatoes.i added some red wine to the sauce and when the pork’s we’re browned I Place them in an oven dish that I had place some shalllts. Then I poured the liquid over the chops. While I waited, I emptied the liquid from The potatoes and placed in a bowl. I cut little pieces of cilantro, added salt and pepper plus some Parmesan

Brenda

Made this for Easter dinner for six. Prepped it and seared a hour before guests arrived. Had oven preheated. After guests arrived and some h’orderves were shared, popped chops in the oven for 15 minutes. Let rest for a few while other things were heated up. Delish! Wish I could post the picture. They were beautiful!!!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.