Jimmy Bannos Jr. pays homage to his Greek heritage with this lamb dish. He combines brined grape leaves—traditionally stuffed with rice—with capers and herbs to create a tangy condiment for the lamb, then tosses quinoa with classic Greek salad components for a superhealthy and tasty side.
Slideshow: More Healthy Meat Dishes
Recipe from Food & Wine America's Greatest New Cooks
How to Make It
In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, anchovies, rosemary, oregano and crushed red pepper. Warm over moderately low heat until the anchovies have dissolved and the herbs are fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Let the marinade cool completely, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag; add the lamb chops and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Let the lamb chops come to room temperature before grilling.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the grape leaves with the garlic, capers, anchovy fillet, parsley, oregano and rosemary until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and lemon juice; pulse until blended. Season the salsa verde with salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl.
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes; uncover and let cool. Transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and add the cucumber, olives, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, mint, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil; toss well. Season the quinoa salad with salt and pepper.
Light a grill. Remove the lamb chops from the marinade and season with salt and black pepper. Grill over moderate heat, turning once, until the lamb is lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Close the grill and cook over moderately low heat until the lamb is medium-rare, 7 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the lamb to plates and let rest for 5 minutes. Top with the grape leaf salsa verde and serve the quinoa salad alongside.
