Lamb Chops with Charred Tomatillo Salsa, Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice, Roasted Carrots and Zucchini, and Avocado
Seared grass-fed lamb loin chops with a smoky, tangy charred tomatillo salsa, fluffy cilantro-lime cauliflower rice, caramelized carrots and zucchini, and cool slices of avocado. The bright acidity of the tomatillos cuts right through the lamb's richness.
Yield: Serves 4 · Active: 35 min · Total: 50 min · Best in North America from late summer into early fall, when tomatillos and zucchini overlap · Best eaten: early evening
Ingredients
Charred tomatillo salsa
¾ lb tomatillos (about 6–8), husked and rinsed
1 jalapeño (seeded for milder heat)
½ white onion, cut into thick slices
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
½ cup fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp Baja Gold sea salt
Lamb
8 grass-fed lamb loin chops (about 1 inch thick)
1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ghee or tallow
Sides
4 carrots, cut into sticks
2 zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large head cauliflower, riced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped, and the juice of 1 lime
1–2 ripe avocados, sliced
Method
Roast the vegetables. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the carrots with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and roast 10 minutes, then add the zucchini, tossed with another 1 tbsp oil, and roast 18–20 minutes more, until caramelized.
Char the salsa vegetables. Spread the tomatillos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan and broil 6–8 minutes, turning once, until blistered and blackened in spots and the tomatillos soften. (Or char them in a dry cast iron skillet.)
Blend the salsa. Peel the garlic, then blend everything with the cilantro, lime juice, and salt until slightly chunky. Taste and adjust.
Sear the lamb. Season the chops with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat the ghee in a cast iron skillet over high heat and sear 3–4 minutes per side, crisping the fat edges, until the center reads 125–130°F for medium-rare. Rest 5 minutes.
Make the cauliflower rice. Sauté the cauliflower in the remaining oil over medium-high heat 5–7 minutes, until tender. Finish with the cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Plate. Spoon cauliflower rice onto each plate, add two lamb chops, the roasted carrots and zucchini, and sliced avocado, and spoon the charred tomatillo salsa generously over the lamb.
No tomatillos? Make a charred tomato salsa instead: char 4 Roma tomatoes with the jalapeño, onion, and garlic and blend the same way. It's richer and sweeter, so add an extra squeeze of lime.
Storage: Lamb, up to 3 days refrigerated; salsa, up to 5 days; vegetables and cauliflower rice, up to 3–4 days.
Nourishment Notes
Grass-fed lamb — heme iron, B12, zinc, and CLA.
Tomatillos and jalapeño — vitamin C and capsaicin.
Cauliflower — glucosinolates and choline.
Carrots and zucchini — beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C.
Avocado — monounsaturated fats, potassium, and folate.
Cilantro, lime, garlic, and cumin — chlorophyll, vitamin C, allicin, and cuminaldehyde.
For your cycle: Lamb's heme iron, zinc, and B12 make this especially restorative during the menstrual and luteal phases.
Sourcing
Lamb loin chops — 100% grass-fed, from a local farm, White Oak Pastures, or US Wellness Meats
Tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, garlic, cilantro, limes, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, and avocados — organic, from a farmers' market or Mexican grocer
Ghee or tallow — grass-fed ghee, or tallow rendered from grass-fed suet
Cumin — organic and non-irradiated
Extra virgin olive oil — organic, single-estate, harvest-dated, in dark glass
Baja Gold sea salt
— Anna aka Food Marshall