Lamb with Green and Red Sauces

In my previous post, I have created a Spanish-Mexican fusion menu. The inspiration for the main course came from a restaurant dish of Cordero (lamb). Frenched lamb chops, grilled medium, were served with two sauces: Spanish green sauces are herb-based, usually with cilantro and parsley, and this one had mint, complementing the lamb to perfection; the second was not described on the menu, but looked like the classic Spanish mojo picón, a red sauce with dried red peppers that is designed for dipping (mojo means “something to wet”). My version uses shoulder lamb chops, also grilled medium, and served with green and red sauces, but with a Mexican twist: the green has fresh tomatillo and a touch of fresh spearmint from my garden, and the second is a spicy red, following the mojo recipe, but with a base of chile de árbol . The final plate may include mashed turnips or potatoes on the side.

Lamb with Green and Red Sauces – Cordero con salsas verde y roja

Printable recipe: Lamb with Green and Red Sauces

Ingredients (for four portions)

8 lamb chops, about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Spearmint Green Sauce – Salsa Verde con Yerbabuena:
½ lb (225 g) fresh tomatillos; husks removed, washed, and sliced in half
½ white onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 small bunch cilantro; washed
10 leaves fresh spearmint; washed
1 tsp salt, or to taste
Red Dipping Sauce – Mojo de chile de árbol:
3-5 dry de árbol peppers, to taste; wiped clean, stems removed
6 cloves garlic; peeled
½ tsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp wine vinegar
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ cup olive oil
To serve: mashed turnips or potatoes

Prepare Spearmint Green Sauce (salsa verde con yerbabuena): Place all ingredients in a blender jar (photo below, left); process by pulsing, until a textured sauce is achieved (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Prepare Red Dipping Sauce (mojo de chile de árbol): place all ingredients, except oil, in a mini food processor or compact blender (photo below, left); pulse a few times, to break up the peppers and garlic, then gradually add oil, and continue pulsing (photo below, centre). Finish by blending for about one minute (photo below, right):

The sauce may be strained, for a very smooth finish, but leaving it as it is gives a stronger kick from the chile de árbol seeds. Reserve.

Right before serving, warm up olive oil in a thick skillet, over medium/high heat. Add butter and stir, to melt (photo below, left). Add lamb, two pieces at a time, and cook, undisturbed, for three minutes (photo below, centre); flip and cook for another three minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste (photo below, right):

Transfer to serving plate, and continue with the rest of the meat.

Top each chop with green sauce, smear some of the red sauce on the side, for dipping, and serve with some mashed veggie on the side:

As expected, the spearmint green sauce was refreshing and complemented the lamb really well. Choosing to serve the red sauce on the side was not a scattershot decision but, because it was presented that way, each person was able to add a nice pitch of acidic and spicy flavours to their taste, without overpowering the other components of the dish.

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