Schug-Marinated Baby Lamb Chops

Lamb chops may seem fancy, but nothing could be easier to make at home. In recent years, Israel has begun to raise a small amount of good-quality, hormone-free, pasture-raised lamb, and it’s delicious, capped with luscious fat and meat that melts in your mouth. When I can get them, I make this simple dish. The minty schug marinade tenderizes the lamb and makes it extra juicy and flavorful. In addition to being gorgeous, grilled lemons and red onions add sharpness and zest.

Serves 4

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (including minimum marinating)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons Schug, plus more for serving

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 to 10 baby lamb chops (about 2 pounds)

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 small red onions, each cut through the root into 6 wedges

Combine the olive oil, mint, schug, salt, and pepper in a large resealable bag and smush the mixture around until combined. Add the lamb chops and move them around in the bag until they are coated in the marinade. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 (you can marinate on the counter if it’s only an hour; refrigerate if it’s longer than that).

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chops from the marinade and remove as much of the mint and most of the schug from the chops as you can. Working in batches if using a grill pan and all at once if grilling, grill the chops, lemons, and onions until the chops are medium-rare, the onions are charred, and the lemons are slightly caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes per side (the lemons may be done earlier; if so, remove them from the grill). Serve the chops with the onions and lemons, with additional schug on the side.