Grilled Lamb Chops with Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

8 to 12, (2-inch thick) T-bone lamb chops
2 sprigs mint, roughly chopped, fresh, torn or
2 sprigs parsley, roughly chopped, fresh, torn or
2 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped, fresh, torn
2 sprigs thyme, roughly chopped, fresh, torn or
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, cut in half and squeezed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 rounds freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for grilling
2 cups pitted kalamata olives
3 tablespoons orange zest
3 tablespoons parsley leaves, fresh, rinsed and patted dry
1 anchovy fillet, packed in oil
1 small Anaheim chile, finely minced, seeded, membrane removed and
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup torn fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

For the marinade: With a sharp knife, clean the chops, trimming away the excess fat cap and any bone fragments.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, bay leaf, salt and pepper with the olive oil.
Place the lamb chops into large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top.
Marinate for up to an hour.
For the tapenade: In a food processor, pulse together the olives, orange zest, parsley, anchovy and chile until coarsely chopped.
Drizzle in the olive oil and orange juice while continuing to pulse for about a minute, until the ingredients are incorporated and the tapenade is a coarse paste.
Do not over process.
Season with salt and pepper.
For the t-bone lamb chops: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Using tongs and an oil-blotted paper towel, wipe down the grill grates to clean and create a nonstick surface.
Remove the lamb from the marinade, wiping off excess, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the chops onto grill, fat-side down.
Grill for about 2 minutes and rotate 45 degrees to form a crosshatch mark.
Continue grilling for another 2 minutes and flip.
Rotate the lamb chops 45 degrees to finish and bring to desired cooking temperature, 5 to 6 minutes total for 135 degrees F internal temperature or medium-rare.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest.
To serve: Arrange the lamb chops on serving dish, garnishing each with about 1 tablespoon tapenade, finishing with torn mint and serving with remaining tapenade on the side.