Make-Ahead Meals: lamb

Grilled lamb chops are a great change of pace from your typical grilled chicken, steaks and burgers. All of the work for this recipe is in making the marinade. When you're ready to eat, just 15 minutes on the grill and dinner is on the table!

Ingredients:

10 to 12 loin lamb chops, 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbs dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Make Ahead Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients except the lamb in a large bowl. Whisk to combine well.

Divide the lamb chops in two separate plastic freezer bags. Pour 1/2 of the marinade into each bag. Seal the bags, making sure to remove as much air as possible while sealing.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours. Or you can place the bags immediately into the freezer and freeze in the marinade for up to one month.

Last Minute Assembly:

Remove the lamb chops from the refrigerator and, keeping them in the marinade, allow them to come to room temperature. If the lamb chops in marinade were frozen, you can take them out of the freezer the day before and put them in the refrigerator to defrost. Whichever method you use, allow them to come to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat grill to a medium-high heat. Remove chops from marinade and place on a lightly oiled grill rack.

Grill for 8 minutes on each side. Remove from heat, allow to rest for 3-5 minutes, and serve.

Tastes good with:

This is the authentic English version of Shephard's pie, traditionally made with lamb. Feel free to substitute ground beef for an authentic English Cottage pie!

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. lamb, minced or ground (or ground beef)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
1 beef stock or bouillion cube
1 lb. chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
pinch of salt and pepper
3 cups mashed potatoes

Make Ahead Preparation:

In a heavy bottomed saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until soft making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add minced lamb or beef and stock/bouillion cube. Cook over medium heat until the meat is brown and shows a crumbly texture.

Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, and add the flour. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about fifteen minutes, or until thickened.

At this point, the meat mixture can be cooled and frozen for several weeks.

The mashed potatoes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.

Last Minute Assembly:

Spread the meat mixture in the bottom of a deep casserole or pie dish.

If the potatoes were refrigerated, you may have to add some milk to them to soften them up.

Spread the potatoes over the meat mixture, being sure to get a good "seal" at the edges. Brush potatoes with melted butter.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the pie is heated through and the potatoes are lightly browned.