Baked Stuffed Lamb Chops

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 center-cut lamb chops (thick cut boneless. 1 -1/2 to 2 inches thick)
• 4 ounces goat cheese, divided
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 teaspoons oil
• 1/2 cup wine (semi-dry. don't cook with what you wouldn't drink!)
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place on lower-middle rack of oven. preheat to 425°f.
• 2 heat 2 oil and butter over medium-high heat in a skillet.
• 3 insert paring knife into chop at end away from bone and open a 2 inch hole almost to bone.
• 4 work knife back and forth until the pocket is almost the full size of chop. set aside.
• 5 saute celery in melted oil/butter mixture for 3-4 minute. add chopped onion and saute for 5-6 minutes more.
• 6 remove onions and celery with slotted spoon, reserving as much oil/butter combination as possible. remove skillet from heat.
• 7 mix 1/2 of the goat cheese and the stripped leaves from 2 sprigs of the thyme with the celery and onion in a bowl and allow cheese to slightly melt from the heat of the vegetables.
• 8 when mixture is cool enough to work with (3-5 minutes) divide stuffing into thirds and stuff chops with 1/3 each, reserving 1/3 of stuffing. do not be afraid of over stuffing. season both sides with salt and pepper.
• 9 return skillet to a medium-high heat and bring to temperature.
• 10 sear stuffed chops, turning once until browned on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• 11 once chops are browned remove from skillet, place on sheet in oven and bake until done, turning once. about 4-5 minutes per side. once chops are done, remove to plate, tent with foil & keep warm.
• 12 1while chops are baking, add the 1/2 cup of wine the remaining stuffing, cheese and the remaining sprig of thyme to the skillet; bring to boil.
• 13 immediately reduce heat to a simmer stir pan sauce constantly until reduced by 1/2.
• 14 plate with jasmine or basmati rice and green beans. pour a generous amount of sauce over chops and reserve the rest for you and your partner.