The weather this weekend was perfect for grilling. With company coming over for an early dinner, I felt the urge to try something new. I completely stepped out of my comfort zone and tried cooking lamb for the first time. Big risk, big reward. This meal was a huge hit!
Although this was my first attempt at cooking lamb, I am actually a big fan of this delicious meat. I remember my mom cooking lamb chops as a kid. I love ordering lamb shanks at my favorite greek restaurant. But my husband has always been hesitant about trying lamb. However, a few months back, after being served lamb at a friend’s house for dinner, he quickly became a fan.
This dish is great because it is super quick and easy. The hardest part is making sure you have enough time to marinate the meat. So planning ahead is key. But the good news is that the marinade does all the hard work, leaving the meat sweet, tender and delicious.
Ingredients
1/4 cup chopped mint, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 lamb loin chops
Cooking spray
Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Place lamb in a single layer in a shallow dish; rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Prepare grill.
Place lamb on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 4 minutes in each side or until desired degree of doneness. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light via MyRecipes.com
I served the lamb with a side of couscous and grilled veggies. It was the perfect way to round out the meal. I chose to garnish the lamb with some freshly chopped mint to help bring out the flavors of the marinade. Plus, you can never have enough mint in my book.
As we move into the warmer months, I have a feeling we will be doing a lot more grilling. And after the success of this lamb dish, I think we will be adding this new protein into our rotation.
Your turn: Are you a lamb fan? What are some of your favorite ways to prepare it? Looking forward to some delicious recipes :)
