Now is perfect time to grill lamb chops

Summer is prime grilling season, but after several months of grilling steaks, burgers and chicken, you're probably looking for something different to toss onto the grill.

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Consider lamb chops, which grill as quickly as steaks and offer a nice change of pace.

Simple lamb chops seasoned with salt and pepper are wonderful when grilled briefly to a perfect "medium." But, with a little extra effort, you can increase the flavor of your grilled lamb chops dramatically. In this week's recipe for rosemary-lemon lamb chops, standard center-cut chops get a flavor boost from lemon zest, garlic and fresh rosemary - all flavors that pair beautifully with lamb.

Treat lamb loin chops as you would

T-bone steaks on your grill. Grill them over medium-hot coals or medium-high heat on your gas grill for just a few minutes per side. I like the chops best when grilled to medium/medium-rare, but you should grill them as you would your favorite steak.

Two sizes of loin chops are available at supermarkets around town. For each person, you'll need two of the small loin chops, which weigh about 3 ounces each, or one of the larger loin chops, which weigh around 6 ounces each.

Lamb loin chops are among one of the pricier cuts of lamb, but blade chops, which are more economical, also are available at most supermarkets. They are usually thinner than the loin chops, and tend to get tough when overcooked, so cook them very briefly on both sides.

The zest from a fresh lemon plays a major flavor role here, and zesting a lemon takes only a few minutes. You can use a standard box grater with fine holes, or you can employ a special kitchen gadget to get the job done. These zesters give you slivers of citrus zest, which will need to be chopped on the cutting board into smaller pieces.

The new favored zesting gadget among chefs is the Microplane grater, a tool formerly used in woodworking. Microplane graters cost from $13 to $20 and are available everywhere traditional citrus zesters are sold. The most popular version is about the size of a standard ruler, and it allows you to finely zest a lemon very quickly.

Grilled, these lamb chops would pair nicely with baked potatoes, but I like to avoid heating up the oven as much as possible in the summer. Instead of potatoes, cook up some orzo pasta.

Make four servings of my favorite orzo side dish by bringing 3 cups of reduced-sodium chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cups of orzo and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in a pat or two of butter or margarine, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add a big tossed salad (a Greek salad would be the perfect match for the lamb) or steamed asparagus for a memorable summer meal.

Rosemary-Lemon Lamb Chops

8 small or 4 large lamb loin chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (the leaves from 1 large or 2 small sprigs)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 large clove)

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepperHeat grill to medium-high flame. While the grill heats, wash the lamb chops, dry with paper towels and trim away excess fat. Combine the rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Coat both sides of each lamb chop with the rosemary-lemon mixture and set aside until grill is hot. Grill until nicely browned but slightly pink inside, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 329 calories, 26 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 89 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 22 grams protein, 387 milligrams sodium.

Nutrition analysis provided by Michelle Baglio, a licensed and registered dietitian of the Augusta District Dietetic Association.

COMING JULY 21: Leftover shrimp is combined with crisp corn and crumbled bacon in a delicious summer shrimp pie

See Karin prepare the recipe at noon Tuesday on WJBF-TV (Channel 6).

Write to Karin Calloway in care of The Augusta Chronicle Newsroom, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903. Or send e-mail to karin.callaway@comcast.net. You can find previous Quick Cooking recipes through the online archive at AugustaChronicle.com/karin.