Grilled Lamb Chops with Peppercorns and Savory Mint Sauce

By SippitySup

Don't think about Technicolor green jelly because the savory mint sauce has nothing in common with the mint jelly of your childhood.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mint leaves, plus more sprigs for garnish
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar would be a good substitute
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for lamb, to taste
• 8 lamb chops
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• multi-colored peppercorns, lightly crushed, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Make the dipping sauce: Put 1/2 cup of the mint leaves in a heat-proof medium-sized glass or stainless-steel bowl. In a small stainless-steel saucepan, bring the water to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.

Stir in the vinegar, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Continue to cook 8 or 10 more minutes, until the sauce reduces some and gets slightly syrupy. Pour the mixture over the mint in the bowl. Let the sauce sit until completely cool. Finely mince the remaining mint leaves. Strain the sauce and add the minced mint.

Make the chops: Heat the grill to medium heat. Sprinkle chops with salt and the lightly crushed peppercorns, and grill until barely cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve warm or at room temperature with the reserved dipping sauce and mint sprigs if desired.