Grilled Lamb with Pickled Eggplant Salad and Herbed Yogurt

By DreiFromBK

Chef Timothy Hollingsworth deftly balances Mediterranean flavors with this delicious combination of grilled lamb, yogurt sauce and tender, tangy eggplant salad.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme
• 12 baby lamb chops (3 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup whole-milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup Champagne vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• Two 12-ounce eggplants, Japanese or Chinese, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 3/4 cup pitted mixed marinated olives
• 2 cups baby arugula
• Kosher salt
• Pepper

Details

Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

Marinate the lamb In a baking dish, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Bring the lamb to room temperature before grilling. 

Make the yogurt sauce In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt with the lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme and rosemary. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Make the salad In a saucepan, combine the vinegar with the sugar, orange juice and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 2 minutes. Off the heat, let the eggplant cool completely in the liquid, about 45 minutes. Drain well.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Remove the lamb from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until charred outside and medium-rare within, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the chops to plates and let rest for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, toss the drained pickled eggplant with the cucumber, olives and arugula. Season the salad with salt and pepper. Serve the lamb with the salad, passing the yogurt sauce at the table.