Grilled Lamb Chops with Cilantro Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a fresh, tangy sauce that originated in Argentina and Uruguay.
The principle flavors of Chimichurri are fresh parsley, garlic, red pepper and vinegar. It is used both as a basting sauce during grilling and as an accompaniment to grilled beef, lamb, chicken, pork and seafood. The name "chimichurri" is thought to originate from the Basque word "tximitxurri", meaning "a hodgepodge" or "a mixture of several things" brought to South America by Spanish settlers during the colonial period. Today, it is generally considered the dish of cultural identity in Argentina where mustard, ketchup or barbecue sauce is virtually non-existent at an Asado, or what Americans would call the event known as a Barbecue.
I got this idea for Cilantro Chimichurri from the Food 52 website. I was intrigued with the notion of a cilantro-based Chimichurri as I have tried and wasn't fond of the more traditional South American Chimichurri made with parsley, and this is my preferred recipe for the herbaceous sauce that Argentinians are so fond of.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Cilantro Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 2 racks lamb chops, Frenched
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 4 tsp garlic, minced
- 4 tsp dark sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 fresh lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh jalapeno, de-seeded, and finely diced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the two racks into two-rib chops. A full rack is generally sold as eight ribs, so this will give you eight double chops.
- Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, sherry, garlic, sesame oil and black pepper, then combine with the rib chops in a zip-lock bag. Marinate 6 to 8 hours.
- Blend all the Chimichurri ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor by pulsing so as to mix, but not liquefy the ingredients. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours.
- Remove the lamb from the marinade and reserve the liquid. Add the marinade to 1/2 of the Chimichurri and set aside.
- Dry each lamb chop before putting them on a medium-high pre-heated grill.
- Because these are double chops, you will need to cook them on all four sides, roundly 4 minutes per side or until the chops are medium rare. Baste with the combined marinade and Chimichurri sauce as you go.
- When you bring the chops off the grill, allow them to rest for 10 minutes under aluminum foil. Then, before serving, drizzle the chimichurri sauce all around and serve more sauce on the side.
Notes
- "Frenched" is a culinary term that means the fat, sinew and meat is removed from the slender end of the rib bones, leaving them bare and giving the roast a neat, tidy appearance.
