James Briscione's new book, "The Great Cook" (Oxmoor House, 2015), has a clever way of delivering recipes. Each one is a basic with a photo of all the ingredients needed. Once that is mastered, the cook can elevate the same dish with different sauces and spices. This is a book for a beginner who can build confidence with trying each new recipe and its variations. There are lots of interesting combinations, like simple chicken breasts that can become chicken piccata or chicken with honey beer sauce.

I've adapted Briscione's lamb with apricot sauce by adding fresh mint. Juicy and slightly sweet with a mint accent, these lamb chops are a nice change for the lamb lover. Make sure to select good-quality lamb. Rib chops come from the whole rack. Sometimes I will buy a rack and cut it myself to make sure I get just the right thickness.

Many people disagree about what the best flavored lamb is. I tend to be an American lamb fan for its sweet flavor, but many treasure the stronger flavor of New Zealand or Australian lamb. I leave it up to you to decide which you prefer.

I favor the rib chop, but this sauce would be equally good with the loin lamb chop. And if you are not a fan of lamb, don't worry. This sauce is a perfect match with meaty pork chops or chicken. Serve the chops with roasted potatoes, vegetable rice or green beans with toasted almonds. To drink, serve an Argentine Malbec or a California Zinfandel.

Apricot Lamb Chops

Serves 4 to 6

For the sauce

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup apricot preserves

2 teaspoons grainy Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the lamb

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

8 thick rib lamb chops, up to 3/4 inch thick

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

1. In a mini or small food processor mince the garlic. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and process until completely blended and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Set aside.

2. Add salt, pepper and cinnamon in a small dish; mix to combine. Evenly sprinkle over the lamb on both sides.

3. Prepare an oiled grill pan or skillet for medium-high-heat grilling. Saute the lamb chops 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare, depending on thickness.

4. Remove pan from the heat and add the sauce ingredients to the pan. With tongs, coat the lamb chops on both sides with the apricot sauce.

5. Place the lamb chops on serving plates, crisscrossing the ends for a pretty presentation. Spoon some of the remaining sauce from the pan over and garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Advance preparation: May be prepared up to 8 hours in advance through Step 2, covered and refrigerated.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)