Garlic Marinated Lamb Loin Chops with Mushroom Couscous

I love lamb, don't have it very often and always wonder why. This dish is really something special though. The flavor of the garlicky lamb and lamb sauce is awesome. The earthy mushroom couscous is a perfect partner to serve with the lamb. The key to this dish is the sauce, it brings it all together.

Ingredients:

4 lamb loin chops

8 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 cup couscous

1 pound crimini mushrooms

1/2 cup chicken stock

Preparation: Lamb Loin Chops

Crush all the garlic and add to a large zip lock bag. Add the loin chops to the zip lock bag along with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours, 8 is better.

Heat a 10" sauté pan until it just starts to smoke, add a splash of olive oil and the lamb chops. Salt and pepper the lamb chops and sear for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes turn and salt and pepper the chops and sear for another 5 to 7 minutes. Towards the end of the cooking time the lamb will release juices into the pan that you'll use in the sauce.

Preparation: Sauce

Take one teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon brand beef base and mix with 1/2 cup of water to create a light flavored beef broth. Take just a tablespoon of water and mix with 1 teaspoon of corn starch, mix well and add to the broth. Take the pan drippings from the lamb chops, add to the broth and set a side for service.

Preparation: Mushroom Couscous
Mix 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon brand chicken base with 1/2 cup of water to make a light chicken broth. Add the broth along with 1 1/2 cups of water to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, stir once with a fork, cover and let sit while you cook the mushrooms.

Thin slice the mushrooms and sauté until fully cooked. Once cooked take paper towels and remove as much of the moisture as possible from the mushrooms. Combine the mushrooms and couscous, check to see if properly seasoned. It's likely that you'll add a grind of salt and pepper.

To serve, plate the mushroom couscous and top with 2 loin lamb chops and drizzle with sauce.