Spring has officially made her debut and this is the ideal recipe for your Easter and springtime table(s). I love these tangy and bright chops alongside the vibrant, nutty garlic scape pesto. The flavors all come together beautifully and balance each other out as you continue to eat this dish. Truly a showstopper in taste and aesthetics! Without further ado…. let’s get cookin’!
INGREDIENTS
LAMB CHOPS *Recipe adapted from Jennifer, A.K.A. “The Lemon Apron.” Original recipe on her blog linked here
4 frenched lamb chops
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp espresso powder (or instant espresso coffee)
Olive oil
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO *Recipe adapted from Traci, A.K.A. “Vanilla and Bean.” Original recipe on her blog linked here
3-4 garlic scapes, size of scapes vary
1/3 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 lemon + zest, juiced
Handful fresh basil leaves (roughly 1/3 cup)
Good pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil
ASSEMBLY
Freshly chopped mint and flat leaf parsley
Pomegranate arils
Instructions
Preheat oven to 275 F. Preheat grill or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Mix together the sumac and espresso in a small bowl.
Drizzle some olive oil over the chops and season with the sumac-espresso mixture, salt, and pepper on both sides.
Grill, in batches if necessary, about 2 -2 1/2 minutes per side, until the chops have a lovely sear on both sides and are cooked to your liking. For the average sized chop, this will get you to a medium/medium rare finish. If you want to cook longer, adjust the heat to be medium (instead of medium high), so the exterior does not overcook before the interior is cooked through.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment and a baking rack. Once all chops have been cooked in the pan, transfer the chops on the baking rack to the oven to finish cooking until they have reached your desired internal temperature. Remove from oven and allow meat to rest while you make the garlic scape pesto.
Wash and trim the garlic scapes by cutting just below the bulb and also if the end of the stem seems woody, trim that too (like asparagus). Discard the bulb and end of stem (I like to compost these or use them in stock/sauce!), then set the remaining curly part of the scape aside. Toast pine nuts in a pan on low heat for a few minutes to achieve that rich nutty flavor. Set aside.
In a food processor, add the scapes, twirling them around the center so that they fit. Add the pine nuts, cheese, juice of the lemon, salt, and pepper. Pulse the mixture until it begins to break down. Scrape the sides.
With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Continue to process until all the ingredients are incorporated and broken down, about one minute. If you prefer a not-so-thick pesto, continue to drizzle in a steady stream of olive oil into the processor and keep an eye on the texture of the pesto. Stop adding olive oil once the mixture has achieved your preferred texture and consistency. Taste and season accordingly with more salt before serving.
Place garlic scape pesto on your serving plate(s). Place lamb chops atop the pesto and garnish with fresh mint and/or pomegranate arils. Enjoy!
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