Grilled Lamb Chops With Tapenade Over Fennel Couscous

With the arrival of spring, there are certain foods that seem to go along with the season. One item that can usually be found in the markets at this time of the year is lamb which has long been associated with spring. To celebrate the beginning of the season, I prepared a Mediterranean inspired meal of Grilled Lamb Chops With Tapenade Over Fennel Couscous.

Lamb chops are especially tasty when marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs then simply cooked over an open fire. Since I was grilling inside on my stove, I wanted to enhance the flavors with the pungent flavor of tapenade, a condiment enjoyed in the south of France. The tapenade, which is made with a combination of black and green olives, capers and garlic, went perfectly with the succulent grilled lamb chops.

I cooked Israeli Couscous with fresh diced fennel, chicken stock and lemon juice to go along with the lamb. The sweet fennel and bright citrus flavors of the chewy couscous complimented the lamb perfectly.

Grilled Lamb Chops With Tapenade Over A Bed Of Fennel Israeli Couscous

Grilled Lamb Chops With Tapenade

Serves two, adjust the recipe accordingly.

Tapenade:

Combine a 1/4 lb. (about 1 c.) of pitted black and green olives, 1 Tbsp. pimento, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 Tbsp. capers, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, and 1 or 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a processor and pulse until roughly chopped. If you wish, anchovies, mustard and other herbs are optional ingredients that could be added to suit your taste. (Any leftover can be refrigerated for a week or two.)

Lamb Chops:

Prepare a marinade of 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. each of chopped fresh rosemary and thyme, 1/2 tsp.  each salt and pepper.

Add 3 or 4 well trimmed lamb chops per person to the marinade, turning to coat evenly and let marinate refrigerated for at least an hour. Bring the lamb to room temperature before cooking. Grill chops for approximately 2 to 3 minutes each side, for medium rare, depending on their thickness. When serving, top with about one tablespoon of tapenade.

Fennel Couscous

Serves two, adjust the recipe accordingly.

• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 fennel bulb, stems removed, cored and diced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fennel fronds plus more for garnish
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 c. Israeli couscous
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. or to taste, lemon juice
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• salt and pepper to taste

In a pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and fennel in the oil until soft. Add the couscous and stir until starting to turn brown. Add the broth, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 8 to 10 minutes until done. Add the chopped fennel fronds, stir and serve.

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When I served the grilled lamb chops, I placed them on a bed of the fennel couscous. I topped them with a spoonful of tapenade and added several whole olives for garnish. I also prepared a tomato, feta, and mint salad to add color and more Mediterranean flavors to the meal. While enjoying this delicious dinner, I couldn’t help but think of our trip to Provence… perhaps that is where we should travel this fall.

On A Personal Note: I am still having problems with the fingers on one of my hands which has restricted me to just using one hand with which to type. Please know that I am reading everyone’s wonderful blogs but I’m not able to comment as much as I wish I could with my limited typing ability. Hopefully giving my fingers a break should have me commenting on a regular basis soon. Thank you for understanding. 🙂