Lamb Loin Chops with Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes, and Olives

• Kosher salt
• 3 medium bulbs fennel, quartered and cored, bruised outside pieces discarded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium-size tomatoes, quartered, cored, and seeded; then cut in half
• 4 cloves Oven-Roasted Garlic
• 16 nicoise olives, pitted
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Confit, optional, or lemon zest
• 3/4 cup Vegetable Stock or low-salt canned vegetable broth
• 8 lamb loin chops, 1 inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon virgin or pure olive oil

1. For the roasted vegetables:
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Fill a medium pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Blanch the fennel until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, drain, and rinse under cold running water.
5. Drain well.
6. In a large overproof skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.
7. Saute the fennel until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes, garlic, olives, and lemon confit and pour in the stock.
9. Place in the oven until the vegetables are soft and roasted, about 45 minutes.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. For the lamb chops:
12. Season the chops oil both sides with salt and pepper.
13. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until just smoking.
14. Add the chops, reduce the heat to medium, and cook about 4 minutes.
15. Turn and cook until cooked through, another 1 to 2 minutes.
16. Remove from the pan and allow to rest 4 to 5 minutes.
17. Divide among 4 serving plates and spoon the roasted vegetables alongside.
18. Variation:
19. For roasted vegetables, substitute Ratatouille or Confit Bayaldi.
20. Serve roasted vegetables with:
21. Simple Roasted Chicken
22. Saddle of Lamb
23. Rack of lamb
24. Roasted veal chops
25. Herb-Roasted Halibut
26. Roasted Cod
27. Seared and roasted tuna or swordfish

kosher salt, bulbs fennel, butter, extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, nicoise olives, lemon confit, vegetable stock, loin chops, kosher salt, virgin

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/lamb-loin-chops-with-roasted-fennel-tomatoes-and-olives (may not work)