Photo by Greg Bailey

SERVES FOUR Parsnips: • 6 medium parsnips, cut into 1" chunks • 1 T olive oil • salt and pepper Fennel: • 1 ½ cups vegetable stock • 2 t sugar • 2 large heads fennel • 2 T olive oil • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix parsnips with olive oil, season, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut fronds off fennel and cut a very thin slice off bottom. Cut into 1/2" thick slices. Place slices in a single layer in a frying pan and pour enough vegetable stock over to just cover fennel. Simmer for 20 minutes, turning once. Transfer slices to baking sheets, reserving cooking liquid, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Blanch May peas and season with salt and pepper and a bit of butter or olive oil.

Lamb Chops:
• 8 thick lamb chops
• Kosher salt
• pepper
• 2 T unsalted butter (chilled)

Preheat cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb chops with pepper; sprinkle bottom of pan with Kosher salt and sear chops. Transfer to a baking pan and finish in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes for rare to medium rare. Remove from over, tent with foil and allow to rest before serving. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup good red wine (we used the Clos Pegase Cabernet). When wine is reduced to several tablespoons, add 1/2 cup of reserved liquid from fennel and reduce by half. Lower heat and whisk in 1 T butter. Whisk in next tablespoon of butter and season with pepper to taste. Pour small amount of sauce onto each plate, top with 2 chops each, and serve with fennel, parsnips and May peas.