Lamb Chops with Little Red Potatoes and Lamb's Lettuce

Ingredients

• 8 lamb rib chops (about 2 lbs.), fat trimmed
• About 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound small red or yellow potatoes (often labeled
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 small shallot, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 package (3.5 oz.) lamb's lettuce (see Notes)

Preparation

1. 1. Rinse lamb chops, pat dry, and season with 1 tsp. salt and the pepper. In a bowl, combine garlic, zest, oregano, and 1 tbsp. oil. Rub mixture onto both sides of chops.
2. 2. Put potatoes in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
3. 3. Meanwhile, whisk together mustard, shallot, lemon juice, and vinegar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 3 tbsp. olive oil until dressing is emulsified.
4. 4. Preheat broiler to high. Arrange chops on broiler pan and set it 2 in. from heating element. Broil chops, turning once, until browned and medium-rare inside (cut to test), 8 to 10 minutes.
5. 5. Put lamb's lettuce in a salad bowl and add warm potatoes. Drizzle 3/4 of dressing over salad and toss to coat. Divide salad among plates and top each serving with two chops. Spoon on remaining dressing.
6. Grass-fed lamb: Why buy?
7. Meat raised on grass is showing up more often in grocery stores. It's often expensive, so what makes it worth trying?
8. Healthy animals. Grass is the natural food of cattle, bison, sheep (and lambs); when allowed to munch on pasture, they're eating the way nature intended.
9. Healthy us. Grass-fed (versus standard grain-fed) meat has higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, and is usually lower in fat.
10. Great for the land. Grazing animals fertilize the pastures as they roam.
11. Great taste. The flavor is often cleaner and more complex than that of grain-fed meat.
12. Our favorite is certified organic meat from Idaho's Lava Lake Lamb (lavalakelamb.com or 208/788-9778), whose animals are raised on thousands of acres near Sun Valley. Lava Lake offers everything from chops to petite lamb roasts, just the right size for two to four people.
13. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.