Garlic Balsamic Grilled Lamb Chops

Garlic Balsamic Grilled Lamb Chops

With the grilling season starting up again, I thought I'd share one of my favorite simple marinades that pairs perfectly with beautiful, juicy grilled lamb chops. My family is slowly coming around to eating more lamb, which is one of my absolute favorite things to grill. This simple marinade is one of the reasons we are enjoying more lamb nowadays. A couple of hours marinading is enough to infuse great flavor into these chops.

It also works very well with boneless leg of lamb, which I marinate for a a few hours before tying the lamb back into shape with butcher string before open roasting it in the oven. I sometimes add rosemary to the marinade when cooking it this way: it's a really delicious way to enjoy roast lamb.

I've served the chops here with some family favorite Lemon Herb Roast Potatoes and Lemon Mint Tzatziki. We also had a small Greek salad on the side to complete an exceptionally delicious meal.

Garlic Balsamic Lamb Chops

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Garlic Balsamic Lamb Chops - a very simple marinade that pairs very well with the flavor of grilled lamb. Serve with Lemon Herb Roast Potatoes, Lemon Mint Tzatziki and a Greek side salad for an exceptionally delicious meal.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours including marinating time
Yield: Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lamb chops
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry thyme
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar balsamic vinegar

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together.
2. Pour over the lamb chops in a large Ziploc bag.
3. Marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.
4. Take the chops out of the fridge for a half hour or so before grilling to bring them closer to room temperature. This will make it easier to cook to the proper internal temperature without over cooking the outside of the meat.
5. Grill over medium high heat or under the broiler. I use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chops, taking them to 145 degrees F for medium rare. Well done is 170 degrees F, so don't ever go over that internal temperature.
6. Let the chops rest under a loose tent of aluminum foil for 5 minutes before serving. 

Garlic Balsamic Grilled Lamb Chops

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Such an amazing collision of flavors in this pizza. The crispy thin crust goes so well with the delicious nutty pesto, salty prosciutto and pungent goat cheese. The balsamic honey reduction brings a balancing final sweet drizzle that pulls all the flavors together. If you are not fond of goat cheese, then feel free to substitute small chunks of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese.

We often use homemade pizzas for entertaining, even at parties where we slice them into small pieces and serve as finger foods in several varieties throughout the evening. Click the links below for other pizza ideas you could serve at at what's sure to be a much talked about gourmet pizza party.

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

 

Buffalo Wing Pizza 

Barbeque Grilled Chicken Pizza

 

Grilled Asparagus Pineapple and Chicken Pizza 

Steak Taco Grilled Pizza

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza - such an amazing collision of flavors in this pizza. The crispy thin crust goes so well with the delicious nutty pesto, salty prosciutto and pungent goat cheese. The balsamic honey reduction brings a balancing final sweet drizzle that pulls all the flavors together. If you are not fond of goat cheese, then feel free to substitute small chunks of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese.

Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: One 13 inch pizza

Ingredients

• 1 ball pizza dough (Click here for recipe)
• 3/4 cup sundried tomato almond pesto (Click here for recipe)
• 4 ounces thin sliced prosciutto
• 3 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 6 leaves fresh basil
• 2 tbsp cornmeal (aproximately)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes.
2. Simmer the balsamic vinegar and honey to reduce the volume by about half. It should thicken slightly. Set aside. This will be enough for a few pizzas.
3. Stretch or roll 1/4 of the dough into about a 13-14 inch round.
4. Place the round on a wooden peel that has been well sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings.
5. Spread the pesto over the pizza.
6. Cut the prosciutto into small pieces and scatter over the pesto.
7. Dot the surface of the pizza with the goat cheese.
8. Keep the ingredients in a single layer as this helps the pizza crust stay crisp and cook quickly.
9. Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.
10. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is evenly brown.
11. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
12. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil before slicing and serving.

VIDEO RECIPE: Blueberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Blueberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Today's new video recipe in cooperation with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is quite a popular one on Rock Recipes and another great quick and easy recipe for a busy workday meal. The pork chops are simply pan seared and then while they are resting a quick sweet and sour Blueberry Balsamic pan sauce is quickly whipped up in minutes to serve over them. The recipe is always a crowd-pleaser every time we serve it, even with kids.

You can find the full recipe for Blueberry Balsamic Pork Chops by clicking here.

For iPad, iPhone and other mobile users, please CLICK HERE if the video does not load below.

Balsamic and Honey Roasted Beets

Balsamic and Honey Roasted Beets

Today's recipe comes courtesy of Spouse who loves this time of year because it's time for fresh local beets to hit the market. She grew up enjoying her mom's pickled beets all year long and our son has definitely inherited that love too.  Beets are a close second to parsnip in her list of favorite root vegetables and roasting them is her preferred method of cooking this dark, sweet vegetable.

Roasted beets are delicious just tossed with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil but the addition of another couple of simple ingredients like honey and balsamic vinegar adds a beautiful, glistening and very tasty glaze to the roasted beets. Everyone is always looking for great side dishes for Fall meals and this one is not to be missed.

These warm roasted beets also make a phenomenal addition to any salad but adding them to a spinach and goat cheese salad is a particular favorite of mine.

Balsamic and Honey Roasted Beets

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A simple delicious side dish or a great addition to a spinach and goat cheese salad.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh beets
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Peel the beets and cut them into roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Toss the beets in the salt, pepper and olive oil.
4. Roast in a single layer for about 45 minutes, tossing occasionally.
5. Toss the partially roasted beets in the honey and balsamic vinegar and add the thyme too if you are using it.
6. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes or so, tossing occasionally until the beets are fork tender.

Strawberry Balsamic Walnut Salad with Grilled Lime Cumin Chicken

Strawberry Balsamic Walnut Salad with Grilled Lime Cumin Chicken

The marriage of healthy and delicious was never more harmonious than in this beautiful salad that is a complete meal for lunch or even dinner. The strawberries get marinated in honey and balsamic vinegar which then serves as an oil free dressing for the entire salad. A few salty olives and crunchy walnuts added with perfectly grilled lime cumin grilled chicken add further layers of contrast in taste and texture. Perfect.

Serves 4

Begin by tossing together:

2 cups quartered strawberries
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Let stand for at least a half hour, tossing occasionally.

Marinade for chicken:

Juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp olive oil
2tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and marinade 4 boneless chicken breasts in a sealed plastic bag for 1/2 hour. Grill until fully cooked. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing and serving on a bed of  salad composed of:

mixed salad greens
red onion
red pepper
sundried kalamata olives
tomato wedges
toasted walnuts

Top with marinated honey balsamic strawberries.

Grilled Pineapple and Chicken Salad

This may be one of the most flavorful salads I've ever eaten. It was a big hit for dinner a few nights ago, especially with the kids who thoroughly cleaned their plates. You can't complain when getting kids to eat healthy is this easy. This one is going to make repeat appearances, I'm sure.

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil


Toss all the above ingredients together in a Ziploc bag and marinate for about a half hour before cooking completely on the grill. At the same time you can grill

4 slices of fresh golden pineapple

Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving along with the grilled pineapple on a salad made from

Baby spinach
Cherry tomatoes
Strawberries
Kalamata olives
Red onion
Red pepper

Balsamic Dijon Dressing
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Shake all ingredients together well in a mason jar and serve.

Roasted Tomato Jam and Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction

This is one of my all time favourite appetizers or hors d'ouevres or even as a great simple lunch. It is so good, because it relies on simple, highly flavourful ingredients that compliment each other very well. This is a particular favorite recipe when the summer tomatoes are at their best when we serve it often. Spouse, in particular, really loves these Bruschetta.


6 medium vine ripened tomatoes diced
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Toss together in a shallow baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has reduced off the tomatoes are the consistency of jam.

Toast small slices of baguette and warm the goat cheese in a 300 degree oven. (Do not try to warm goat cheese in the microwave.) You can spread the goat cheese on the toasted baguette and top with a little of the tomato jam or just present the jam, goat cheese and toasts separately on a serving platter or individual plates as an appetizer and let your guests assemble the Bruschetta themselves.

In a very small saucepan boil ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar until it reduces and begins to thicken to a syrupy consistency. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the Bruschetta.