Wine-Marinated Lamb Chops with Fennel Salad

Pairing Suggestion 
The lamb chops go well with a Rhône-style white.

ACTIVE:  40 MIN  TOTAL TIME:  1 HR 30 MIN  SERVINGS:  4 

Ingredients 
 2 large fennel bulbs—fronds and stalks reserved, bulbs quartered, cored and thinly sliced on a mandoline 
 One 750-milliliter bottle dry white wine 
 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
 Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in strips, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
 8 loin lamb chops 
 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth 
 1 tablespoon crème fraîche 

Directions 
1. Thinly slice the fennel stalks. Finely chop enough of the fronds to make 3 tablespoons. 
In a shallow dish, combine the stalks, wine, garlic, lemon zest and red pepper. 
Add the lamb chops and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, 
turning the chops once halfway through. 
2. Pat the lamb chops dry. Strain 1/2 cup of the marinade and reserve. 
In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Season the chops with salt and pepper, 
add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 4 minutes. 
Turn the chops, reduce the heat to moderate and cook until medium-rare, 4 minutes; 
transfer to a plate and let rest. 
3. Pour off the fat in the skillet. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of marinade and boil 
over high heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, 
until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and boil until 
reduced to 1/4 cup, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the crème fraîche. 
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped fennel fronds and season with salt. 
4. In a bowl, toss the sliced fennel bulb with the lemon juice, and the remaining 
2 tablespoons each of the oil and fronds. Season with salt and pepper. 
Transfer the salad to plates and top with the chops. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.