Lamb chops old-Dutch style

Lamskoteletten op zijn oud-Hollands

4 double lamb chops
salt and black pepper
125 grams butter
2 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bay leaf
1 deciliter / ½ cup red wine
4 deciliter / 2 cups meat ‘fond’ (glazed crystallized drippings) or bouillon
3 tsp cornstarch (maizena)
1 tbsp parsley

Rub salt and freshly ground black pepper on the chops and fry them in 75 grams of butter in a skillet for three minutes each side.

Put them in a lightly buttered oven dish and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes in a warm oven at 120ºC/235ºF.

Take the dish from the oven and cover with foil or with a fitting lid.

Sautee the finely sliced shallots and pressed garlic in the grease/butter left in the skillet. Mix in the coarsely chopped rosemary and thyme, add the crumbled bay leaf and the wine. Bring to a boil and add the fond or bouillon. Slowly bring to a boil again and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix in the cornstarch (or maizena) and pour the stock through a sieve into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil again and whisk in the rest of the butter.

Put the chops on individual plates and pour the glazed sauce over them. Serve with pan-fried potato slices, and green beans or spinach.

This traditional Dutch recipe already can be found in cookbooks from the 18th and 19th century.