Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Salsa Verde

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Rib or loin lamb chops rubbed with garlic, rosemary and lemon zest, then seared over screaming-hot coals until the fat crackles and the centers stay rosy. The whole thing is finished with a bright, herby mint salsa verde that comes together in a blender in five minutes — the sauce is what turns a quick weeknight sear into a trattoria plate worth $37.

Ingredients

• 12 lamb rib chops (about 2 1/2 lb total), frenched, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, lightly packed
• 2 tbsp drained capers
• 1 anchovy fillet in oil (optional)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Pat the lamb chops very dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, grated garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, 2 tsp kosher salt and the black pepper. Rub the paste over both sides of every chop, arrange them on a plate or sheet pan, and let them sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes (or refrigerate up to 8 hours, then bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling). Room-temperature chops cook far more evenly.
2. Make the salsa verde: combine the mint, parsley, capers, anchovy (if using), garlic clove, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and red pepper flakes in a blender or small food processor. Pulse 8 to 10 times to chop everything roughly.
3. With the machine running on low, stream in the 1/2 cup olive oil and blend just 15 to 20 seconds — you want a loose, spoonable, flecked green sauce, not a smooth purée. Scrape into a bowl, taste, and adjust with salt or a few more drops of vinegar. Set aside at room temperature; the color is best within 2 hours.
4. Build a hot fire: for charcoal, bank the coals to one side so you have a direct-heat zone and a cooler zone. For gas, preheat all burners on high for 10 minutes, then turn one burner off. The grate should be clean, oiled, and hot enough that you can hold your hand 4 inches above it for only 2 seconds.
5. Lay the chops over the direct-heat zone in a single layer, fat edge angled toward the hottest spot. Grill 2 to 3 minutes without moving them, until deeply browned with clear grill marks. If flare-ups from the lamb fat get aggressive, slide the chops to the cooler zone for 20 seconds and let the flames die down.
6. Flip and grill 2 to 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Check with an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the thickest part, away from the bone: pull at 125°F for medium-rare, 130 to 135°F for medium. Thin chops can hit temperature in as little as 4 minutes total, so start checking early.
7. Optional but worth it: stand the chops on their fat edge for 30 to 45 seconds at the end, leaning them against each other, to render and crisp the fat cap.
8. Transfer the chops to a warm platter, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes — the temperature will climb about 5°F and the juices will settle.
9. Spoon the mint salsa verde generously over the chops or pool it on the platter underneath. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve with lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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