It sounds fancy, but in the end, it’s just meat and potatoes.

When it comes to the cooking I grew up with, paprika, summer savory, and salt were the common condiment spices, a salt and pepper equivalent, if you will.  Combined together, they make sharena sol or colorful salt.  Not to go unmentioned in the traditional spice cabinet is spearmint.  Here, we have all three.

When it comes to cooking the lamb, I firmly believe that it is a matter of personal taste (beyond the minimal safety cooking standards, that is).  Every chef-personality out there will likely tell you to cook your meat to medium-rare.  But the fact of the matter is that meat preparation is both a matter of personal taste and cultural practice.  If reddish liquid oozing out of your meat as you cut or bite into it makes your stomach turn, then who am I or anyone else to tell you otherwise.  Do what tastes and looks good to you.  Unlike those famous chefs cooking for clients, you’re cooking for yourself and your family.

Spearmint Rubbed Lamb Chops (with Paprika-Savory Mashed Potatoes)

While the lamb chops are a meat main course, the paprika-savory mashed potatoes are vegan.  

Yield: 2 servings

4 small lamb chops

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

1 teaspoon of paprika

2 teaspoons of summer savory

2 teaspoons of dried spearmint

Olive oil (and apple cider vinegar) to taste

Salt to taste

Boiling the potatoes:

There is no right way.  There’s just the way you prefer.  I boil my potatoes by first rinsing them under running water, filling a medium sauce pan with water, and placing the potatoes straight into the pot.  Other people prefer to peel their potatoes before putting them in the boiling water, in which case I would recommend salting the water.  If you cut the potatoes rather than boil them whole, they will be ready faster.  The potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork, with little to no resistance.  Since I prefer to boil my potatoes whole with the skins on, once done, I rinse them under running cold water and then peel them.

To mash the potatoes, I use a potato masher or just a good ol’ fork.  I’ve heard some people accomplish the task with a potato ricer as well.  When you’ve finished mashing the potatoes, sprinkle in the paprika and summer savory.  Mix them into the potatoes until they are thoroughly incorporated.  The red color of the paprika should be evenly distributed rather than in clusters.  Taste the mixture and add salt, olive oil, and vinegar to taste.  This last step will depend both on your personal taste and the particular variety of potatoes you used.  Salt I alway add.  Olive oil I usually add, but the quantity entire depends on the texture of the particular potato variety used.  Sometimes I add a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Grilling the lamb chops:

You can do this on a grill outside or a George Forman; I typically use a grill pan.  Heat the pan on medium high until it’s warm.  Meanwhile, rub the lamb chops on both sides with the dry spearmint.  Place the lamb chops in the heated pan and just let them be for 4-5 minutes (or your preferred time); flip and repeat on the other side.  And done!