Wow. This looks amazing. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.
Lamb Chops with Mint Salsa Verde
Salsa verde, a Mediterranean condiment flavored with anchovies, capers, and herbs, partners nicely with seared, medium-rare lamb chops. We dedicated our October 2009 issue to lamb, and this recipe was a SAVEUR staff favorite.
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Photo: André Baranowski
4 1"-thick lamb loin chops (about 1 lb.) or
frenched lamb rib chops
2 tbsp. plus 3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tbsp. salt-packed capers, soaked, rinsed, drained,
and finely chopped
1⁄4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
6 oil-packed anchovy filets, drained and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1. Put lamb into a small baking dish, rub with 2 tbsp. oil, and season with salt and pepper; set aside to let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: Combine mint, parsley, tarragon, capers, chile flakes, anchovies, and garlic in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in remaining oil while stirring with a fork to make the salsa verde; set aside.
3. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or set gas grill to medium-high heat. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Add loin chops and cook, flipping once, until browned and crusty and cooked to desired temperature, 6–8 minutes for medium rare if using loin chops (rib chops will take only 4 minutes or so to reach medium rare). Transfer lamb to a platter. Stir sauce and drizzle over chops, reserving some of the sauce to serve on the side.
SERVES 2
Pairing Note: A high-acid, ultracrisp white, such as a txakolina from Spain's Basque Country, matches the briny notes of the salsa verde; try the 2004 txakolina from Uriondo ($16.99), which has pleasing aromas of lemon and stone fruit. —Ania Zawieja
Ratings & Reviews (6)
IMHO this is one of the worst wine recommendations I can imagine. While the txakolina may be tasty with the sauce the lamb needs a good red.
Made this (minus the wine pairing) the other night and it was a hit. The only thing I need to work on is the sauce which, despite not being "saucy" enough, everyone seemed to love.
I made a variation of this using a leg of lamb for a special occasion last summer. It really was excellent. I rubbed a bit of the herb mixture onto the lamb before grilling and then served it with the sauce. I made more sauce than the recipe called for to match the larger portion of meat but kept the proportions the same. The meal was a huge hit with the family and I plan on making it again this summer with lamb chops.
We've never found a recipe for lamb that we truly enjoyed, but we gave up beef for Lent with a decision to eat more fish and add lamb to our diet. We are also on a diet... so I lowered the oil and upped the garlic cloves. We are blown away by how amazingly delicious this is! WOW!
Wonderful! I left out red pepper flakes and added a bit more garlic. Being constrained by my apartment, I pan seared the chops in a cast iron skillet instead of using a grill. They came out perfectly. I honestly can't express enough how well this sauce paired with the lamb.
Lamb Chops with Mint Salsa Verde
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