Serves 4
For the lamb chops:
1 T. fennel seeds
2lb. lamb rib chops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for drizzling
For the gremolata:
¼ c. shelled pistachios, lightly toasted
1 c. flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
1 clove garlic
2 T. lemon zest, from 2 lemons (reserve lemons for juice)
Instructions
In a mortar and pestle, coarsely crush fennel seeds (if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush the seeds in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet).
Season lamb chops generously with salt, pepper, and the crushed fennel seeds and set aside to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes
Meanwhile, make the gremolata. Roughly chop the pistachios and set aside. Chop the parsley until just shy offinely chopped. Combine pistachios and parsley, then, using a microplane, grate garlic over the mixture, followed bythe zest of the lemons. Continue to chop mixture until the pistachios and parsley are finely chopped and the gremolata is well combined.
Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to serve.
Heat a grill, using direct heat, to medium-high (if cooking indoors, you can use a grill pan or skillet—cast iron is an excellent option). Drizzle lamb chops with olive oil and grill until golden brown and medium-rare, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil, and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving with pistachio gremolata.
