Lemon Roasted Potatoes and Lamb Chops

The heat wave has passed and Fall seems to have started. Okay, maybe not quite, but it has been really cool here lately! Dare I say chilly? (Sorry to everyone who's sweating as they read this!) I've finally felt spunky enough to get in the kitchen and use the stove. And the oven. And all of our cutting boards. And knives. In short, I made a few things I'd been meaning to try.

I marinated some lamb chops, roasted lemon potatoes and baked mini-papillotes d'aubergines. I'll post about les papillotes later. Anyway, each one was a new recipe for me, which meant I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen, although none of the recipes were very complicated. This was my first experience cooking lamb chops and I was really happy with their flavor. Plus, they take no time at all to cook.

These roasted potatoes with lemon might seem to be a strange pairing at first glance, but I know that once you try them, they will become a staple for you! I knew I could trust this recipe from Ivonne, at Cream Puffs in Venice. She raves about these potatoes on her beautiful blog and now that I've made them I can't believe I waited so long to try them! Don't make the same mistake I did; make these tonight!

Lemon Roasted Potatoes
(recipe from Cream Puffs in Venice and Cook This, by Amy Rosen)

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
juice of 1-2 lemons (about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup)
½ tsp lemon zest
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
¾ tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Rinse the potatoes with cold water. Peel the potatoes if you like, but it’s not necessary. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and cut each half in half, or maybe fourths for a larger potato. Mix the potato wedges, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, salt and pepper in a baking pan. Once the potatoes are evenly coated and spread out in the pan, pour the water over them. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

I used the juice of one lemon and felt there could have been more. There should be a bit of lemony syrup in the bottom of the pan, but mine was completely evaporated, so don’t skimp on the lemon juice! I would also toss in a bit more oregano next time. I’ll be making these again and again! These were great with lamb, but would easily accompany any meat you choose. Serves 4.

What goes better with lemon roasted potatoes than lemon and oregano marinated lamb chops!?

Easy Lemon, Garlic, and Oregano Marinade
(recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger)

4 small lamb loin chops
1 lemon, zested
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground coriander, optional
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine all the ingredients (except the chops) in a small bowl. Place the lamb chops in a plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and marinate the chops for at least an hour, but no more than 4 hours. Remove the lamb and blot dry with paper towels before cooking. Grill or saute 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare.