Recipe : Grilled Lamb Chops With Anchovies, Capers and Sage

This is an adaptation of a recipe I saw in the "A Good Appetite" column in The New York Times the other day. The combination of anchovies, capers and sage sounded so interesting, I just had to save the recipe for the next "jour fixe lamb dinner" ...

the ingredients.

12-16 baby lamb chops (2 racks)
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 anchovy fillets
6 tablespoons drained capers
30 sage leaves
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
lemon wedges, for serving
(serves 4-6)

The original recipe sautees the chops in a skillet.
I had two large racks, so grilling on a backing sheet seemed easier (& less messy) ...

Rinse the lamb chops and pat them dry.

Cut racks into individual chops. Season them with salt and pepper, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C. Lay chops out on backing sheet drizzled with olive oil.

Over medium-high heat warm a skillet, add the oil and when it shimmers, add the anchovies and capers. Cook, stirring, until the anchovies break down, about 3 minutes.
Toss in the sage leaves and pepper flakes and stir, about 2 minutes.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for another minute.

In the meantime, remove the lamb chops from the oven.

Plate two or three chops on each plate and spoon the sauce over the lamb. 

Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Adapted from Melissa Clark's column "A Good Appetite" in Wednesday's New York Times ...