Winter dinner... lamb chops and...

[Detroit Slim]

So I want to put together an intimate little dinner for my girl. The evening plan is to eat, drink wine, and decorate a tree.

For a main course, I've settled on lamb chops with a mint/salt crust, served french-rib style on the bone.

What are some good supporting ideas? This is Los Angeles, so it doesn't have to be deep, hearty cold weather cooking, but should be simple and a little elegant.

[Detroit Slim]

Like the mushroom risotto suggestion, but think I'm going to follow through with scalloped potatoes with some gruyere/parmesan. Mostly because I can get those in and out of the oven before doing the lamb, then the lamb & asparagus can go almost simultaneously. The asparagus is going to be the paper-bag method, with some lemon juice & salt.

And for desert... hot chocolate with marshmellows. It is a a night for decorating a christmas tree & watching "Rudolph", even if it is Los Angeles!

[allegro805]

Mashed sweet potatoes drizzled with truffle oil are fantastic with lamb, but then, I'd eat lamb chops accompanied by anything.

[dzustin]

every time we eat lamb in my house, everyone asks for "chips" of some sort alongside. I usually serve chops with celery root chips - whole foods or any organic/co-op should carry it -

shave the celery root thin on a mandolin, salt lightly on a board or plate...let stand for about ten minutes to release liquid - fry in sunflower oil.

additionally, braised fennel seems to go well with chops for the crowd i feed.

[sixelagogo]

I'm a fan of broccoli rabe, blanched, then sauted with olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and lemon zest

[UnConundrum]

I love this rice and lentil stew with lamb. Here's a recipe (the picture is with a strip steak).. http://www.recipesonrails.com/recipes...

[normalheightsfoodie]

Asparagus is always great. A good contrast vegi would be candied carrots. Cut some fresh carrots on the bias and cook them with a little honey and orange juice.

BTW, lamb chops are the best!

[Diane in Bexley]

I love rice with lamb chops. Either a mushroom/shallot risotto adding some good Parmesan or Romano & a little cream or a Spanish rice dish with spicy peppers, onions, tomatoes. The asparagus sound great too. I like mine roasted in a 450 oven with some good EVOO, lemon juice, kosher salt. Timing depends on how thick the stalks are. I would add a Cesar salad for a 1st course, now te important question - What's for dessert?

[Detroit Slim]

Great ideas, especially the scalloped potatoes. Asparagus is usually easy to get at the farmer's market @ 3rd & Fairfax. Now to dig up a solid recipe for the potatoes. Thanks!

[jakeyd]

Same concept as Euonymous, slightly different ingredients: fingerling potatoes and baby squash, both could be roasted with herbs of your choice. In fact, although not clear how you were planning to do the chops, you could probably do the whole thing together with some minor 'put this in first, that second' fussing.

[Euonymous]

Scalloped potatoes and asparagus, if you can get it at this time of year. Always nice to have finger food to feed one another.

[Will Owen]

Vons has asparagus on special this week, $2.99/lb. I think. Though I don't buy much supermarket produce unless it's on sale, in my experience Vons's stuff is better taken care of than most. Certainly better than Trader Joe's plastic wrap.

Euonymous beat me to the scalloped-potato suggestion. Perfect foil to your crusty little chops.