Skip to main content
Epicurious

Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Chutney

You can make this easy mint chutney quite hot, and it still seems balanced, especially when served with a rich, flavorful meat like lamb. Heat, as aficionados know, comes in a wide variety of flavors, and what works best here is a bit of roasted fresh habanero (also called Scotch bonnet), the hottest chile you can find. But minced raw jalapeño or hot red pepper flakes are also good. No matter what you use, add a little at a time (I’d start with a quarter teaspoon if you’re using habanero) and taste repeatedly, bearing in mind that the heat of chiles can “bloom” after a few minutes. Serve this with a neutral dish like plain rice, and perhaps a cooling salad.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Juice of 2 limes
1 garlic clove, peeled
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Fresh or dried chile to taste
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups fresh mint leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 lamb chops, preferably from the shoulder

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. To make the chutney, combine the lime juice, garlic, ginger, chile, yogurt, and sugar in a food processor or blender and puree. Stir in the mint by hand, then add salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    Grill the chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side, by which time they will be medium-rare, or until they reach the desired degree of doneness.

    Step 3

    Serve the lamb chops hot with the cool chutney.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
TagsLamb ChopLambMeatMintHerbs & SpicesChileVegetableMainDinnerNut FreeGluten FreeEasyGrillingFood ProcessorCookbooks
Read More
Mango Sticky Rice
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Easy Egg Custard
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Mochiko Chicken
Hawai‘i's beloved fried chicken is crispy, sweet, and savory.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.