Portuguese-Style Grilled Stuffed Lamb Chops

Name: Portuguese-Style Grilled Stuffed Lamb Chops
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Portugal
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil; 6 tablespoons (or as needed) unsalted butter, melted; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ cup chopped onion; 6 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped; 1 cup fresh bread crumbs; 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 3 cloves garlic, finely minced; ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened; 12 lamb loin chops, about 1½ inches thick, a generous pocket cut in each; Juice and grated zest of 2 lemons

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Mediterranean Kitchen

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 1998

About

This filling mixture resembles a Catalan picada except for the cilantro. Instead of using the mixture to enrich a sauce, as does a picada, the Portuguese use it as a stuffing. Incidentally, the stuffing is also great in a boned leg of lamb.

Ingredients

Stuffing

6 tablespoons (or as needed) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup chopped onion
3

Europe
Portugal
Main course

Method

For the stuffing, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and combine with the remaining butter, the bread crumbs, almonds, cilantro, and olives. Season t