Za’atar Lamb Chops with Tahini Drizzle

Ingredients:

• ~3 lbs lamb rib chops cut into thick chops (2 bones per chop)

• Za’atar

• Olive oil

• 3 tbsps tahini

• 1 lemon

• 1-2 cloves garlic (optional)

• Salt to taste

• Dill, parsley, or mint for topping (optional)

~4 servings

Method:

• Season lamb chops:

  • Season lamb chops with za’atar and salt so that every side of the meat is covered with the spices

  • Let the lamb chops sit out for 10-30 min while in the spices so that the meat comes to room temperature

• Cook lamb chops:

  • Heat oven to 400º

  • Rub a tiny bit of olive oil on the lamb

  • Heat up a grill pan or cast iron to a high heat

    • Put the lamb chops on the pan with the fatty bone side down—you want to sear this fat cap first and then transfer the lamb to a baking sheet

  • On the baking sheet, lay the lamb chops on one side (pictured above) and put in oven. Depending on the thickness of your chop you will cook them for 2-5 minutes on each side for medium rare

    • For my chops I cooked them for 5 min on each side

  • Take out of the oven and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it

• Tahini sauce:

  • Put tahini in a bowl with juice from 1 lemon and a splash of olive oil

  • Grate 1-2 cloves of garlic into bowl with a microplane (raw garlic has a bite, so taste as you go, or skip step entirely)

  • Add a couple of tablespoons of cold water

  • Stir until tahini mixture becomes creamy and loose—add more water as needed. You want it to be fluid enough to drizzle over the meat

• Assembly:

  • Slice the lamb chops in between each bone so that there is only one rib per chop

  • Drizzle tahini mixture over the meat

  • Top with herbs: dill, mint, parsley