Lamb and chimichurri are common items in Argentinian menus. Although they do a lot of asado (BBQ), lamb is more often eaten slow-cooked by open fire. I wanted this recipe to capture the essence of Argentinian food without sacrificing practicality. These lamb chops with chimichurri can be easily made on a weeknight with ingredients that are easy to get.
Following the “meat and 3 veg” tradition, I used romanesco, carrots and kale for this recipe. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have handy that are suitable for roasting, for example: cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, Brussel sprouts, celeriac, parsnips, swedes, turnips, green beans, radishes, etc.
One additional note: the chimichurri recipe will make more than enough, keep the leftover sauce in a glass jar in the fridge and use it later. Besides meat, you can drizzle it on baked potatoes, bread, salads, etc.
One pan lamb chops with vegetables and chimichurri
Chops and veggies
- 1 kg lamb chops (loin or chump)
- 2 small-medium heads of romanesco, cauliflower or broccoli
- 5-6 medium carrots
- 1 small bunch of kale or other dark leafy green
Chimichurri
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 red capsicum, minced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt
Directions
- Prepare the chimichurri by mixing all ingredients. Let it sit at room temperature for flavours to marry.
- Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
- Chop vegetables in large chunks and place in a roasting pan (you can line it with baking paper for easier clean-up). Season lamb chops with salt and pepper on both sides and place them on top of the vegetables.
- Roast for 20-30, flipping the chops midway through.
- Serve purist-style (vegetables with chops and sauce on the side) or rebel-style (vegetables with chops on top, drizzled with sauce).