Ensalada de quinoa con cordero

Korean-style Barbecued Lamb with Quinoa Salad

One of my chefs came up with the idea of adding gochujang, the Korean fermented red chile paste, to my Japanese-style barbecue sauce. I love the sauce with grilled lamb; the extra hit of spice and concentrated flavor from the gochujang really works well with game meats, especially with a side of quinoa salad. You can find gochujang at well-stocked grocery stores or Asian markets.

1 Prepare a regular or hibachi grill for direct, high-heat cooking. Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels and stack them on a platter. Whisk together the barbecue sauce and the gochujang in a small bowl. Set aside about 3 generous tablespoons of the barbecue sauce in a small dish to use as a finishing sauce. Put the remaining barbecue sauce in a large baking dish (a 9 x 13-inch dish fits the chops well) by the grill.

2 Grill the lamb chops until the bottom side is nicely charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Let the meat rest on the grate without lifting it. Use tongs to transfer the chops to the baking dish with the barbecue sauce, toss them around in the sauce a few times, and return the meat to the grill with the opposite side facing down. Sear until the bottom blackens in spots, about 2 minutes. It shouldn’t take as long as the first side because of the sugary sauce.

3 Transfer the chops to the baking dish again, toss them around in the sauce, and return them to the grill with the first side you grilled face down (since it didn’t have sauce when first seared, it won’t be as dark). Sear the meat for another minute or two, or until medium-rare. The lamb should be firm but still give slightly to the touch. Brush the chops generously with the barbecue sauce, flip them one more time, and immediately transfer them to a serving platter.

4 Drizzle the reserved barbecue sauce on top of the chops and serve the chops with the quinoa salad.