Dorset – Texell cross. Raised by Kawartha Ecological growers. Aged 6-7 months at slaughter.
Put a whole, unpeeled bulb of garlic in an oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350F until the garlic can be squeezed from the husk. Let it cool and then squeeze out the garlic and mash it into a paste.
In a pot sauté ½ a finely chopped onion with a chopped clove of garlic. Add 1 cup of barley and a tsp of salt and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add ½ cup chicken stock and stir until all the liquid is dissolved. Repeat this until the barley is just barely al dente. Stir in ½ tbsp. of finely chopped rosemary and ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese. Add pepper to taste.
When the barley is almost cooked season and brown the lamb chops in a pan, then paste them with the roasted garlic, place in a 400F oven for about 4 minutes for a med rare chop. Serve the garlic chops atop your risotto…..mmmmm
