Lamb Chops Champvallon
By: Frank Fariello
Published: Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 4:39pm

Ingredients




12 lamb rib chops well-trimmed of
excess fat
2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
2 1/2 pounds Idaho or russet potatoes - (3 med) peeled, and
sliced into 1/8"-thick rounds
1 cup julienned onion rinsed in cold water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups lamb or veal stock
2 1/4 cups chicken stock

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the inside of a flameproof (such as enameled cast-iron) 9 1/2- by 12- by 4-inch baking dish with the butter. 2 Season the lamb chops with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. In batches, cook the lamb chops, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Set aside. 3 In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, onion, thyme, garlic, pepper, and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Spread half of the potatoes in the dish. Arrange the lamb chops on top, then cover with the remaining potatoes. Pour the lamb stock and chicken stock into the dish. Bring to a boil over medium heat. 4 Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the potatoes are very tender, about 3 1/2 hours. During the last 30 minutes, remove the foil so the potatoes can brown lightly. 5 This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Comments:
Frank Fariello

I love this dish--but personally I prefer shoulder chops as they stand up to long cooking very well and are quite inexpensive. And I find 45mins-1 hour is perfectly adequate cooking time.