1. Make the salsa verde: Using a blender (I use a Vitamix) or mortar and pestle, blend together the basil, cilantro, whole garlic clove, and oil. Make sure the garlic is nice and incorporated with no big chunks remaining. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the toasted spices, vinegar, and salt to taste. This will give you about 2 cups of salsa verde—a bit more than you need for the lamb, but it goes great with everything! Place in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.

2. Rinse the scallions and clean the white bottoms of the bulbs, removing any roots. Clean the tops and remove any yellow pieces. Dry the scallions very well to remove all the water, then toss with a small amount of neutral oil and salt. Place a cooling rack on your burner and turn the heat to medium—we are charring the scallions to add some smoky flavor to the dish. Place the scallions on the rack and cook, turning them occasionally, until charred (they shouldn’t be totally black, but should instead have a few charred bits and pieces), 3–5 minutes. Place on your cutting board and let cool before working with them.

3. Finely mince the whites of the scallions, then place in a small bowl and mix with the garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside. Run your knife through the scallion greens, chopping until they are a bit smaller than bite-sized pieces. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic-scallion mixture and stir until just golden brown. Add the cooked beans and 1 cup of their cooking liquid, then stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the charred scallion greens. Using a large spoon, smash half of the beans, agitating and stirring them in the pan, for about 1 minute. Add the shelled English peas (they will cook in the beans). Continue to stir the bean mixture until nice and creamy and the peas are cooked through. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.

4. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Generously salt both sides of the lamb chops. When the oil is just starting to smoke, carefully add the lamb to the pan. Sear until golden brown, 3–4 minutes, then flip and sear for 3–4 minutes more. Depending on its thickness, your lamb should be a nice medium rare at this point. If it's ready, pull it off the heat and let it rest for at least 6 minutes.

5. Plate the beans on the bottom of each serving plate, then top with the lamb. Drizzle everything with the salsa verde (you will want to use more than you think—it's so good!) and serve!

Braised Leg of American Lamb

Ingredients

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