Channeling the Greek Taverna

Clearly travel is my passion...but cooking is becoming a close second.  I'm not sure if I love it because I love food or because the taste can transport me to another place in an instant.  I wanted to go back to Greece if just for the night, so I prepared my favorite taverna meal:  Baby Lamb Chops, Rice, Greek Salad and hot bread.  I might as well have been sitting on the patio of Kakos Bay in Greece gazing at the sunset off the coast of Crete!

The ingredients were the key: quality baby lamb chops from Trader Joes, really fresh vegetables and Greek feta, and Texmati rice in the steamer.  Searing the lamb really locked in the juices and flavor.  My rice steamer is my new favorite appliance.  It makes light fluffy rice every time.  We also busted open our first of twelve bottles of South African wine that we smuggled - I mean brought back from SA.  Tonight we opened the L'Avenir Pinotage, which is a varietal that is a cross between pinot noir and hermitage and is unique to SA. 

Baby Lamb Chops
4 (or more) baby lamb chops per person, 1/2 inch thick
Several stems of fresh thyme
Oregano
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Heat your pan on high and cover with foil for easy clean up.  Rub the thyme in your hands and  the leaves will stick. Pour a dab of good olive oil into your palm, rub your hands together, then rub the lamb chops on both sides. Repeat the thyme-olive oil combination every few chops. Seer on both sides and cook on high to taste - I like medium.  Serve with a lemon wedge.

Greek Salad
3 Tomatoes cut into thick wedges
¼ red onion sliced into rings
½ cucumber sliced into thick half-moons
½ green pepper sliced thin
Chunks of fresh feta cheese
16 kalamata olives
Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Throw all the stuff in a bowl. Mix the dressing.  Pour on the outside edge of the bowl and toss to cover evenly.

Good appetite.