Lamb Chops Scottadito With Crispy Kale

Name: Lamb Chops Scottadito With Crispy Kale
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 12 lamb rib chops; Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 6 anchovy fillets; 1/4 cup capers in brine, drained; 2 lemons, zested and cut in half; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; 24 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed; 1 large bunch lacinato or Tuscan kale, stems removed and leaves left whole; Grapeseed or other oil suitable for high heat, for preparing the grill

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Adapted by Kim Severson

Lamb Chops Scottadito With Crispy Kale — Meredith Heuer for The New York Times

Total Time: About 40 minutes, plus at least 4 hours' marinating
Rating: 4(164)
Comments: Read comments

The word scottadito means burned fingers in Italian; these lamb chops are best eaten with one's fingers soon after they come off the grill. The recipe comes from Rachael Ray, who serves these at her homes in upstate New York and Manhattan. The lamb chops are best if they marinate for several hours, but turn out just fine with an hour or two under the anchovy and garlic paste. Ms. Ray's method for preparing kale produces crispy leaves; key elements are the lightest spray of oil, and baking racks to get them really crisp. They need to be made in batches, but a hot oven makes the job quick, and they can also be done a little bit ahead of time and served at room temperature. Don’t skip grilling the lemon: the slightly charred, acidic flavor adds an essential layer. —Kim Severson

Featured in: Beyond TV and EVOO: Rachael Ray Looks for Her Next Act

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

12lamb rib chops
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
6anchovy fillets
¼cup capers in brine, drained
2lemons, zested and cut in half
4cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
24fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
½cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1large bunch lacinato or Tuscan kale, stems removed and leaves left whole
Grapeseed or other oil suitable for high heat, for preparing the grill

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Using a mallet, pound each rib chop to ¼-inch thickness. Season the chops with salt and pepper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the anchovy fillets, capers, lemon zest, garlic, sage and ½ cup olive oil, and pulse the mixture to form a marinade. Using a rubber spatula, transfer mixture to a large plastic food storage bag or shallow dish. Add the lamb and coat evenly in marinade. Seal the bag or cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 3
Heat oven to 500 degrees and place a rack just above the center. Place the kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. With clean hands, toss the leaves, making sure both sides of each piece are lightly coated, adding more oil, about a teaspoon at a time, as necessary. (Alternatively, an oil mister can be used to lightly spray the kale on each side.) Place a large wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and arrange half the leaves on the rack in a single layer, not touching one another, and season with salt and pepper. Roast kale to brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes, then repeat with remaining leaves. Loosely arrange a bed of crispy kale on a serving platter.
Step 4
Heat an outdoor grill to high and brush or spray with grapeseed oil. Add the lamb and cook over the high heat for about 4 minutes until charred, then flip and cook until chops are crisp at the edges, another 2 to 3 minutes. (The fire will flare as the fat cooks, so stay close to the grill and shuffle the chops as necessary.) After flipping the lamb to cook on the second side, place the lemon halves on the grill and char until caramelized and browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. (Chops can also be broiled in the oven, on high, about 5 minutes on each side. Lemons can be charred in a grill pan on the stove.)
Step 5
Allow the meat to rest on a plate for a few minutes. Arrange the chops on the bed of kale and douse them with the juice of the charred lemons.

Ratings

4 out of 5

164 user ratings

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Comments

Sarah7 years ago

If the grill is very hot, I suggest cooking just 11/2 minutes per side, or the lamb, 1/4 inch thick, will be very well done

OnThePlate7 years ago

Everyone has their favorites and grapeseed is just one option. I often see canola oil described as flavorless or “neutral”, but to me it has a distinctly fishy taste.

Golem187 years ago

Why grapeseed oil? It has a similar smoke point as canola oil which also has minimal to no taste. And grapeseed oil costs almost twice as much as canola oil. I see the recipe calls for "or a similar" oil but I still question what is a clear recommendation for an unnecessarily expensive product that adds nothing to the recipe.

Noah5 months ago

Double the kale for sure

Yasmeen1 year ago

Loved! Best lamb chops we've made in a while. Pounding does the trick, as does high heat on the grill. My husband was unclear re: if the meat stays on the bone during the pounding - it does. I only marinated for a couple of hours (still yummy), and I forwent the kale b/c didn't want to deal. Delish regardless.

Randall2 years ago

The lamb was Devine. I wasn't crazy about the crispy kale under it but if I do it again, I would remove the entire stem, too hard to chew.

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