1Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. 2Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels, then season generously all over with salt and pepper. 3Place a thin film of oil in the bottom of a large ovenproof frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the lamb chops and cook undisturbed until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 3 minutes.