March 26, 2018

Grilled Lamb Chops and Fingerlings with Arugula Pesto

Today we’re sharing this recipe from Cooking Whole30, the updated, revised, and enhanced edition of the New York Times bestselling The Whole30 Cookbook. These Whole30 lamb chops are perfect for a holiday meal, they’re well suited for feeding a crowd.

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Whole30 Lamb Chops and Fingerlings with Arugula Pesto

Lamb chops are super juicy and loaded with meaty flavor. Here they get a simple seasoning of garlic and thyme and a topping of peppery arugula pesto. Boiling the potatoes and then grilling them yields a creamy interior and wonderfully crisp exterior.

Made By Whole30Made By Whole30

Grilled Lamb Chops and Fingerlings with Arugula Pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes

Ingredients  

For the Chops

  • 4 lamb loin or rib chops (about 1 pound)
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme
  • Coarse salt and black pepper

For the Potatoes

  • 6 fingerling potatoes
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper

For the Pesto

  • 2 cups packed arugula
  • 1/2 cup almonds toasted
  • 1/2 cup walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • PREHEAT a grill to medium (350 to 375 F)
  • MAKE THE POTATOES: Put the potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Lightly salt the water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes can be pierced with the tip of a knife but are not completely tender, 9 to 10 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and toss with the olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste..
  • MAKE THE PESTO: In a food processor, combine the arugula, almonds, walnut oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Process until smooth.
  • Grease the grill rack. Place the chops and potatoes on the greased rack over direct heat. Cover and grill the chops, turning once, for 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare (145°F) or 15 to 17 minutes for medium (160°F). Grill the potatoes, turning once, for 10 minutes, or until they are tender and have grill marks.
  • Serve the lamb chops with the pesto and grilled potatoes.

Excerpted from The Whole30 Cookbook. Copyright © 2016 by Melissa Urban. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Photography by Brent Herrig. All rights reserved.

Lindsay Rhodes

Lindsay Rhodes currently lives in Chicago. She attended Butler University where she received her B.S. in Marketing and a minor in Strategic Communication. Previously, Lindsay has worked for management consulting firms as a marketing consultant and as a campus recruiter.