Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary Garlic Pesto

I am crazy about lamb loin chops with just the right amount of fat on the bones, and when paired with fresh herbs, it’s extraordinarily delicious. Since I am blessed with plenty of fragrant rosemary and forest green bay bushes in my backyard garden, I am always nding ways to either downsize them before they take over the garden or make tasty meals out of them. Supporting research has shown that rosemary contains anti-inammatory compounds and is often used in aromatherapy to increase concentration and memory, as well as relieves stress.

For culinary use, when you blend rosemary, garlic and bay leaves with olive oil, the gorgeous green pesto paste enables the herbs to stick to the meat and penetrate it, thus giving more avour. Plus, the rosemary will not burn as it is blended into the paste. And, since the chops have already been marinating in pesto oil, you need not add more oil when grilling. The end result is a platter of fragrant, succulent chops with bits of delicate fat and avour bursting with each bite.

Serves 6 Ingredients

5 sprigs of fresh rosemary 4 fresh bay leaves or 6 dried bay leaves 8 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon of salt, or to taste 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 12 (1¼ inch-thick) lamb loin chops 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

1. Prepare the spice marinade by adding rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor and blend until you obtain a rough marinade.

2. Put the lamb chops into a non-metal bowl then pour the marinade over the meat and mix well, making sure the marinade covers both meat and bones. Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours.

3. When ready to cook, heat oil in a cast iron pan or grill over medium high heat, but not smoking. Carefully place the lamb chops into the pan and cook until well browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops and cook until brown, another 3 to 4 minutes for medium doneness. Transfer to a cooking rack to rest, while you continue to cook the remaining lamb chops. Once the remaining chops are cooked allow them to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

4. Arrange the lamb chops on a serving platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

This recipe is one of the 150 that are featured in chef and author Christina Arokiasamy’s newest cookbook The Malaysian Kitchen. Being Malaysia’s rst official food ambassador to the United States and former chef of various Four Seasons resorts throughout Southeast Asia, Christina is naturally well versed in myriad cuisines that fuse Asian and European inuences. In The Malaysian Kitchen, highlighted dishes borrow from a variety of traditions, specically Thailand, India, China, Portugal, as well as her hometown Malaysia. While modied with her own modern iterations, recipes of curries, noodle bowls, stir-fries, street foods and more, promise to retain the most authentic avours. The title was also selected as Amazon’s best cookbook last May.