Marinated Lamb Chops with a Mint Pesto Sauce

5m
Prep Time

7-10m
Cook Time

12m
Ready In

"A combination of 3 recipes. A basic lamb chop recipe I have been making for years; and a mix of 2 different pesto recipes I found using fresh mint - without any cheese. I think the lamb is better if you can let it marinade a few hours if possible. It is a quick and easy recipe to prepare. Now, I love my grill for this; but, any indoor grill pan or heavy duty pan will work well. Prep time does not include time to marinade the chops."

Original is 8 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (421.5 g)
Calories 1091.4
Total Fat - 78.4 g
Saturated Fat - 27.8 g
Cholesterol - 303.6 mg
Sodium - 336.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 14.3 g
Dietary Fiber - 1.9 g
Sugars - 5.7 g
Protein - 79.4 g
Calcium - 92.6 mg
Iron - 6.8 mg
Vitamin C - 29.6 mg
Thiamin - 0.4 mg

Step 1

Marinade and Lamb ... Add the garlic, rosemary, oregano, olive oil, and lemon juice to a ziploc bag. Close and shake to mix and combine all the ingredients. Then, add the lamb chops and seal the bag. This can also be done in a non-reactive (glass) dish. Refrigerate 1-4 hours, but no longer.

Step 2

Pesto ... As the lamb marinates, make the pesto. First, the pine nuts. Add them to a dry saute pan and bring to medium heat. Saute 2-3 minutes, stirring often until you can smell them and they are lightly toasted - you don't want them to burn. Remove from the heat to a small plate or paper towel to cool.

Step 3

Add, the cooled pine nuts, mint, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, a pinch of both salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse a few times until lightly chopped, then slowly add the olive oil until you get a smooth 'pesto like' consistency.

Step 4

Transfer to a small bowl, cover well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. It is better if it sets at least 1 hour before serving.

Step 5

Lamb ... Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and the marinade. Pat the chops dry, and set on the counter to take the chill off; I prefer to cook when the meat is room temperature. Season the lamb with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 6

Grill ... I prefer an outdoor grill or inside grill pan; but a heavy skillet will work just as well. Season your grill, or add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to your saute pan and bring to medium high to high heat. Grill the chops on each side until you get a nice crust. They don't take long; and, you don't want to over cook them. About 4-5 minutes for the first side, and 3-4 for the second side. Obviously, the thickness of the chop can alter the cooking time. About 8-10 minutes for a chop 1-1 1/2" thick is an average cooking time. I prefer my lamb medium rare, so the time may be a bit less. Once the chops are done, remove from the heat and cover with foil to let them rest.

Step 7

Make sure to let them rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Step 8

Serve ... Top the warm chops with the chilled pesto and a little fresh lemon zest, or lemon wedge, and extra pine nuts. Couscous or rice pilaf is a great side dish with this.