A bunch of beets with the greens attached do double duty. Roast the beets and stems and sauté the greens (they taste, well, like beets and their texture is similar to Swiss chard). No greens attached? Use a small bunch of Swiss chard. Argan oil is best known as a beauty product, but food-grade bottles shouldn’t be overlooked for their culinary applications. Its flavor is intensely nutty similar to toasted sesame oil. That said, it may be difficult to locate, so feel free to substitute toasted sesame oil.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets with beet greens attached (see tips for prep instructions)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 lamb chops (about 2½ pounds), 1 inch thick
- 2 teaspoons za’atar spice mix
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup labneh
- 4 teaspoons toasted hulled white sesame seeds
- Fresh mint leaves and argan or sesame oil, for garnish
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Toss the beetroots with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until just starting to soften, 14 to 16 minutes. Add the beet stems to the sheet and toss to coat with oil. Continue to roast until the beetroots and stems are tender, 14 to 16 minutes more.
- While the beets roast, cook the lamb. Season the lamb with za’atar and salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat for 10 seconds. Cook the lamb, in 2 batches, turning once, until medium rare, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to rest.
- Add the beet greens to the sauté pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and toss to combine
- Serve the beetroots, stems, and greens with the lamb over the labneh. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and garnish with mint and argan or sesame oil.