Lamb Chops (Αρνίσια-παϊδάκια)
Aug 3rd, 2009 | By Peter Minakis | Category: BBQ, Cheese, Greek, Greek Grill, Greek Wine, Herbs, Lamb, Lemon, Main, Meat, Olive Oil, Potato, Recipes, Side, Sunday Dinner, Vegetables)
One of the most enjoyable grilling centerpieces for Greeks (or anyone that enjoys the outdoor grill) would have to be lamb chops. There are many approaches…grill the whole rack and cut into individual chops, add an herb & crumb crust, marinades, spice variations….you name it!
Like any dish that turns out wonderfully, the key is in the selection of ingredients. Here in Ontario, we’re blessed with having a wonderful supply of Ontario lamb. New Zealand lamb is available here (and worldwide) but buying local is best, no?
Lamb chops are the most expensive cut of the lamb. Lean meat surrounded by delicious lamb fat. The lamb chops need little fussing over, a marinade for a couple of hours, grilled on high on your grill and cooked to order. Personally, I like my lamb chops a medium-rare to medium (pink).
The lamb chops are marinated in olive oil, a dab of Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, garlic, lemon juice and black pepper. They are seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper before hitting the grill and finished only with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, dried Greek oregano and fleur de sel.
When you have meat, you need potatoes, right? This recipe comes from Every Food (Martha Stewart) and you have small or new potatoes that are pan-roasted and flavoured with nothing but olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. Perfect for lamb chops, no?
Rounding out the meal is a salad of grilled sweet corn, diced red peppers, chives and Feta cheese. Add extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You MUST try this side…a highlight of this summer’s cooking.
There you have it…a wonderful summertime menu that will definitely stick out in your and your guests’ memories. It’s easy, it’s a good splurge (the lamb chops) and it’s delicious!
Lamb Chops (ΑÏνίσια παϊδάκια)
(serves 4-6)
3 racks of lamb chops
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. of fresh thyme
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. of fresh ground pepper
sea salt & fresh ground pepper
lemon wedges
dried Greek oregano
- In a shallow glass baking dish, add all the marinade ingredients (olive oil, garlic, mustard, parsley, thyme, lemon juice and black pepper) and stir to blend. Pour off and reserve about 1/3 of the marinade (for finishing the lamb chops). Add the lamb chops and ensure all of the meat is coated with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for 2 – 4 hours.
- Return your lamb chops back to room temperature before grilling and pre-heat your gas or charcoal grill to a high heat (you want the meat to sizzle when it hits the heat). Ensure your grill surface is clean by brushing it and wipe it with vegetable oil. Season your lamb chops with salt and pepper.
- Grill your lamb chops for 3 minutes a side (medium/pink inside) and brush on the reserved marinade on by sides when cooked.
- Squeeze some lemon juice over the chops, sprinkle some fleur de sel and finish with some dried Greek oregano.
Pan-Roasted Potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. of small or new potatoes, halved
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 springs of rosemary
1/2 cup water + any extra water that might be needed
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- In a large non-stick skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and add the potato halves (cut sides down) and the garlic. Cook the potatoes until they have become golden-brown and then toss occasionally to slightly brown the skin sides.
- Add the water and and cover. Cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Add some more water if it evaporates before the potatoes are ready. Remove from the heat, strip the leaves from the rosemary stems and toss in the potatoes along with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm.
Grilled Corn Salad With Feta and Red Peppers
4 cobs of corn, husks and silk removed
1 large red bell pepper, diced to the approx. size of the corn kernels
2-3 scallions (or 1/2 cup chopped chives)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup of crumbled or diced Feta cheese
lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
- Ensure all your ingredients for the salad have been chopped, diced and ready to use. Brush your corn with oil and grill over medium-high heat until all sides of the corn are caramelized and deep-brown.
- Cut your cobs of corn in half and then vertically place them on your chopping board and trim the kernels off with a knife (cutting the cobs of corn is the safest way to trim off the corn kernels).
- Place the warm kernels of corn in a large bowl along with the red peppers and cover with cling-wrap. Allow the warm steam to help cook and soften the diced red peppers for about 15 minutes.
- Add your olive oil, chopped fresh chives and crumbled/diced Feta cheese. Add lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.
I served the Kappa P62 Xinomavro/Syrah…perfect for grilled lamb!
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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© 2009 – 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
What a fantastic platter of food – everything looks delicious Peter.
That’s a fabulous presentation! Those lamb chops are cooked to perfection!
Cheers,
Rosa
everything looks so good! WOW!
Peter δεν νομίζω να υπάÏχει κάποιος άλλος που να Ï€Ïοβάλλει τόσο ωÏαία την Ελληνική κουζίνα στο εξωτεÏικό.
ΜπÏάβο!!!
A fantastic plate of food Peter!
guess what’s marinating in my fridge right now for dinner? yup, your lamb chops!
There is another perfect dish for a lovely summer bbq… :) It looks absolutely delicious!
You can never give me enough ways to make lamb chops. Everything on the plate looks great.
You make me hungry with this beautiful presentation and recipe. We love lamb… once we travelled to another town in the middle of the week just to have roasted lamb for dinner…
That is one gorgeous platter of food. The lamb looks done to perfection!
Def a meal fit for a king. “Paidakia” are my favourite cut of lamb ever! I also like the technique you used on the potatoes…I must try it!
The corn and tomato salad look great. We can taste the grill flavor!
What a presentation!!!
Everything is super!!!!!!!
What a beautiful spread. Looking at your photos, I can almost smell the lamb. I’m bookmarking.
I love this plate of food Peter! I need to make that salad!
Hurrah for local ingredients Peter and succulent lamb is no exception:D
Ooh, nice herby, spicy goodness! :) Have a great trip peter! :)
Another wonderful recipe…. I used your sage/honey pork chop recipe for lamb chops and it was very very tasty, too.
Oh, man, Peter, my mouth is watering. Amazing looking lamb, just how I like it! And the side salad looks just about perfect.
I am sad to report that we also had lamb chops last night and they did not look nearly as good as this. I was in a hurry and no passion went into the food!!! This meal however is a feast!!!
Food of the gods!
Perfect coloring to the lamb!!! My mom refuses to let me cook lamb any less than medium well. I’m not sure why… But I love a medium rare lamb chop!
have you ever heard of lambchop’s playalong? it was a puppet show from many moons ago and it’s what i think of every time i see lamb chops. it all looks pretty spectacular, peter, but i’m most drawn to that colorful summer salad!
Peter – this all look so delicious.
I am finally appreciating nicely cooked chops and steak (my dear Mum is not a good cook – C snd S were always served grey – over cooked leather and tasteless despite the marinades).
This recipe i want to try on my Folks come our Summer.
Thank you again for such brillinat inspiration. Enjoy the rst of your Summer,
Michelle in Wellington, NZ
OMG I want that whole plant now & its breakfast time here! We are thinking of buying 1/2 a local lamb & this may have pushed me over the edge towards yes
I want the whole meal deal when I visit Petah! It’s fantastic. love the neat chops you get (have to see ours…LOL), the marinade that makes my ♥ sing, the great potatoes & then the corn side. SUMMAH…Petah, screaming summah!
I have one GIANT objection here: you have removed the most delicious part of the lamb chop! The little bit of fat at the end!!!
every time I come to your site I wish you were my neighbor! I always leaving salivating over your delicious food and gorgeous photos
The chops look so perfectly juicy! I love this corn salad with feta too!
I’ve bookmarked this for all three recipes!!!
That lamb looks perfectly cooked and nice and pink on the inside. Recently I have been enjoying grilled corn with melted butter, crumbled feta and a dash of cayenne pepper. This corn salad also sounds really good.
What an incredible post, I may not comment all the time, but I subscribe to the emails so I get to pour over the wonderful recipes and pictures. I had to wish you a wonderful trip and look forward to seeing what inspires you on the culinary front on your return.
Have a wonderful trip my friend! I’m making that corn and feta side dish this weekend. No kidding!!
That is one tasty looking platter. A summer feast! I’ve never made potatoes that way and love the crispy look of them, and the lemon-thyme and mustard flavors on the lamb are making my mouth water. It great to catch up on your postings. I hope you have a good vacation!
Those potatoes look incredible! I just went from pretty hungry to ravenous. Must get some lunch.
O.M.G.! Seriously, I can smell it from the page–YUM!
I just made this corn salad as a side for dinner. I’m eating it with a spoon right now! I love it!!
Big fan of the always buy local especially if it is good stuff.
Love love love lamb just need to get off my butt and do more of it.
Hope you are enjoying your trip!
The potato picture just jumped out at me when I saw this… very pretty!
tried your lamb chop marinade tonight- what an aroma!!! my children were so impressed-they have asked for a repeat performance. i also tried it with beef-ok i guess, but lamb in australia is soooooooo delicious that i will keep it exclusively for lamb
[...] My marinade for grilled lamb chops works wonderfully for this dish and they will come-out tender each and every time. [...]
[...] I recently found some boneless lamb shoulder and froze it for just such an occasion – making lamb souvlaki. Lam shoulder is very flavourful, has some fat content and but it’s not the most tender of cuts. A marinade would be needed. This marinade borrows elements from my fabulous pork souvlaki and some elements from my summer favourite, grilled lamb chops. [...]
I wish we could get a rack of lamb in Greece. You can’t; the lambs are too small. I envy you guys in Canada
These lamb chops are amazing – I’ve made these a couple times already; about to grill another batch. Can’t wait to sink my teeth in these chops. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made the grilled corn salad today and it is divine.. I used baby red sweet peppers and grilled them lightly, and also added some lightly grilled and chopped Costata Romanesca (heirloom zucchini from the garden). Everything else was as per your recipe and it was *wonderful,* the hit of the evening. Thank you!!
[...] Grilled Lamb Chops [...]
[...] in grilled meats that go beyond souvlaki and gyro, serving pork chops, biftekia, sausages, lamb chops, whole roast lamb on the spit, kokoretsi and kontosouvli. Kontosouvli another rotisserie offering [...]
[...] that’s often served as part of array of mezes or an accompaniment with souvlaki, grilled lamb, potatoes or fried zucchini chips. Heck, it’s great just scooping it up with pita bread or [...]
We just got back from a wine trip in Greece and I’ve been craving Greek food. Your lamb chop recipe was just perfect. Thank you!
Meal was AMAZING!!! We cant find the Kappa P62 here in Tennessee but did have a nice bottle of Kouros, Thanks for sharing your recipes…. will be trying others soon!!