YIELDS:
PREP TIME:
0 hours 10 mins
COOK TIME:
0 hours 3-4 mins
TOTAL TIME:
ingredients
8 Baby lamb chops, frenched
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-4 Tbsp. Pistachio Basil Pesto (see below)
1/4 Cup pomegranate seeds
Pistachio Basil Pesto
2 Garlic cloves
½ Cup shelled pistachios
2 Cups basil leaves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ Tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
¼ Cup Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Make pesto: Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the pistachios, basil, lemon juice and salt and pulse until pistachios are finely chopped. Slowly stream in olive oil and process until combined. Add cheese and pulse a few times until combined. Taste. Add more seasoning if needed. If too thick, add a little more olive oil.
2. Dry your lamb chops with a paper towel. Sprinkle the with salt and pepper. Add your oil to a cast iron skillet and heat until very hot but not smoking.
4. Serve on a platter topped with some of the pesto sauce and a sprinkling of the pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!
NOTE: While these can certainly be served for dinner with a starch and vegetable, the tiny size of these chops is perfect for an appetizer. They are great at cocktail parties and buffets where people can just grab one, take a couple of bites and discard the bone. These are what I like to call a Two-bite lollipop lamb chop. I am able to find these from time to time at Sprouts and definitely at Whole Foods. Usually, the bones come frenched (scraped clean) but it not, the butcher can do that for you.
This is a very elegant appetizer but it takes no time at all to prepare. The pesto can be made in advance and stored in the fridge covered for a couple of days. (not longer than that or the color loses it’s vibrant green.) Use it on chicken, fish or pasta as a sauce. There will be extra after this dish so plan on using it as a condiment on any of those items. A bowl of penne pasta with this pesto is on the menu for lunch tomorrow.
If you like lamb, be sure to try some of my other lamb recipes like my Leg of Lamb recipe or my Grilled Baby Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Thyme and Garlic Aioli. Also, be sure to sign up for my newsletters and get recipes sent right to your inbox.
