What is gremolata?
Italian gremolata is a paste-like green sauce traditionally made with parsley, garlic and lemon zest and used as a condiment for meats and fish. In this recipe… we switch out the parsley for rosemary and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to give homage to spring’s early bounty… lamb, green garlic and rosemary. Don’t forget to serve your lamb loin chops with a scoop of gremolata on the side and an extra drizzle of reduced balsamic!
Ingredients…
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 2 inch sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed and coarsely chopped
Zest of one lemon
1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 1+ inch-thick lamb loin chops, seasoned with Maldon and freshly ground white and black peppercorns
To Make…
Preheat grill to 425°F.
With a mortar and pestle… grind the garlic, Maldon, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, capers and a good generous drizzle of olive oil.
Smear ½ of the Gremolata on the lamb chops to coat all sides. Let chops marinate at room temperature for up to 30 minutes.
Grill lamb chops on both sides to desired doneness… 5 minutes on side one and 3 minutes on side two for medium-rare.
Transfer lamb chops to a platter, loosely cover and let rest 5 minutes or so.
Serve smeared with remaining Gremolata. Garnish with more capers.
