Wood-Fired Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde — Curtis Stone-Inspired

About This Recipe

This recipe is inspired by Chef Curtis Stone's Beverly Hills restaurants Maude (two Michelin stars) and Gwen, where wood-fired meats are central to the menu. Stone's modern Australian style is seasonal, ingredient-led and lightly Mediterranean — heavily influenced by his eight years training under Marco Pierre White in London. This dish captures his approach: simple lamb chops, hard-charred over high heat, finished with a bright herbaceous salsa verde and burnt lemon for contrast.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 12lamb cutlets(French-trimmed)
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 3 sprigsfresh rosemary
• 3 clovesgarlic(smashed)
• 1 tspMaldon sea salt
• 0.5 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
• 0.5 bunchfresh flat-leaf parsley
• 0.25 bunchfresh mint
• 0.25 bunchfresh basil
• 2 tbspcapers(drained)
• 4anchovy fillets(optional)
• 1 clovegarlic(for the salsa)
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 120 mlextra-virgin olive oil(for the salsa)
• 2lemons(halved)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the lamb

   Toss the cutlets with olive oil, rosemary, smashed garlic, half the salt and the pepper. Rest at room temperature for 20 minutes — never cook lamb cold.

2. 2

   Make the salsa verde

   Pulse parsley, mint, basil, capers, anchovies and 1 clove garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add mustard, vinegar and olive oil and pulse to a chunky sauce. Season — don't oversalt; the capers and anchovies are already salty.

3. 3

   Get the grill / pan smoking hot

   Heat your barbecue, plancha or heavy skillet to maximum heat. Grease lightly. The pan should be smoking — anything less and the lamb won't char.

4. 4

   Grill the lamb

   Place the cutlets on the heat in a single layer. Don't move for 90 seconds — let them develop a deep char. Flip and grill another 90 seconds for medium-rare (54°C internal). Add the lemon halves cut-side down for the last 90 seconds — let them char.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Rest the lamb on a warm plate for 4 minutes. Pile onto a serving platter, scatter with extra Maldon salt, and arrange the burnt lemons alongside. Serve the salsa verde in a bowl on the side. Each diner squeezes burnt lemon over their lamb and spoons salsa generously.

Variations

• •

  With Lamb Rack: roast a French-trimmed rack at 220°C for 18 minutes — same salsa.

• •

  Mediterranean Version: replace mint with oregano and add toasted pine nuts to the salsa.

Storage

Lamb best eaten immediately. Salsa verde keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions