Seared Loin Lamb Chops with Saffron and Roasted Garlic Pan Sauce

From In the Hands of a Chef: Cooking with Jody Adams by Jody Adams and Ken Rivard (New York: William Morrow).

Makes four entrée servings

MARINADE
¼ cup roasted garlic
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil (substitute Italian basil if Thai basil is unavailable)

Eight 5-ounce loin lamb chops
¼ cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt

SAUCE
1/2 cup dry white wine
Pinch of saffron
4 cups of high-quality canned chicken broth reduced to 2 cups
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the chops and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in each of two large sauté pans over medium-high heat. Season the lamb chops evenly with salt. (Don’t scrape off the marinade.) When the oil is hot, put 4 chops in each pan. Sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer chops to a plate.

3. Set aside one of the pans. To make the sauce, deglaze the remaining pan with the wine, using a wooden spoon to make sure the crispy bits dissolve completely, and add the saffron. Reduce the wine to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue cooking until the liquid in the pan has reduced to ¾ cup, about 15 minutes. Do no overreduce.

4. Off the heat, whisk in the roasted garlic and butter. Add the lemon juice and parsley; season with salt.

5. Put 2 chops on each of four plates, sauce each portion at once, and serve immediately.

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