Grilled Lamb Chops and Zucchini-Almond Fritters

Lamb has never been one of my favourite meats.  Maybe it was because I had no idea how to cook it.  When we were at La Mediterranee in San Francisco, my husband really enjoyed the grilled lamb kebabs.  I realized lamb was something I should learn to prepare.  Plus, you can barbecue it, which is great this time of year!

In looking at lamb recipes, the key to making lamb taste great is to marinate it.  I made a very simple marinade using lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic and chopped fresh rosemary.  Then I marinated the lamb chops for most of the afternoon.  This is definitely a weekend recipe for me, as it requires time for marinating and preparation.

I got my lamb chops from an organic meat farm in Big Stone, Alberta.  They are called MacPherson Meats, and they deliver their frozen meats right to your house!  Does it get any better then that?  They have provincially inspected beef, lamb and chicken.  I ordered some beef, and only one pack of lamb chops because I was not sure I would like the lamb chops very much.  Now, after marinating the lamb and trying this recipe, I will be ordering more packages of lamb chops!

I had some zucchini and wanted to do something other than just sautéing it to have with the lamb chops.  I came across a recipe for zucchini fritters from an IGA website that looked really amazing, but they were made with wheat flour.  I modified the recipe to make it gluten-free, (inspired by Kelly's Veggie Burger recipe at the Spunky Coconut) and the fritters turned out fabulous!  They are like a potato pancake, but even better!  Without the lamb chops, these would make a wonderful vegetarian dinner as well.

Zucchini-Almond Fritters

600g zucchini, grated (I used 2 small zucchini)

1 sm onion, grated

1 sm clove garlic, crushed

100g goat milk feta (You could use a regular feta cheese or try this recipe with daiya mozzarella, a dairy-free and vegan cheese)

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup mint, finely chopped

zest from a lemon

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 cup almond flour

1 cup quinoa flakes

salt and pepper

coconut oil for frying

Dressing:  I used my Roasted Eggplant Dip instead of this dressing because it is dairy-free.  Hummus is another option for a dip.  If you can have dairy, purchased tzatziki or this dressing would be very quick options as well.)

Greek style yogurt 

1-2 tablespoons Tahini (sesame paste)

1 lemon

Small clove of garlic, minced

Method:
Grate the zucchini (I use my food processor with the grater attachment), place in a colander and sprinkle with salt, toss and set aside for about 1/2 an hour.  Squeeze to extract the remaining liquid, and pat dry with paper towel (key points in preparation).  Grate 1 onion and also pat dry.

Combine onion, zucchini, garlic, feta, eggs, mint, lemon zest, and dry ingredients.

Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan, and use a 1/4 cup to scoop the batter onto the skillet.  Flatten each mound of batter gently with the back of your spatula.  Cook until golden brown on both sides and place on paper towels on a plate to remove some of the oil.  Serve with lamb chops and dressing or dip on the side.