Burnt Fingers and Fresh Favas

Author Notes

Rome. Nothing say's "Rome" like lamb at Easter. It is the quintessential Roman season. Abbacchio al Scottadito, which loosely translated means lamb to burn your fingers. Rib chops hot off of a wood fire, here served over fresh spring fava beans with mint. The ingredients are simple, the favas are a pain in the butt, but I'm fussy about the wood for the grill. I use oak charcoal (mesquite is too strong---almost toxic) and I might throw on a wine barrel stave and a few branches of rosemary. Oak is typical of the wood fuel used in my home town on California's Central Coast. A softer flavor than mesquite. And I can use the local olive oils too. —pierino

Test Kitchen Notes

Very catchy title! I read the recipe through and realized how simple it is. Simplicity is not always easy (think Ted Muehling designs or Howard Backen’s houses). I used hand made oak charcoal, threw on some recent cabernet vine prunings (no barrel staves…in this economy there is a market for all our used barrels). I blanched the fresh favas and carefully shelled them. I prepped fresh local lamb from Sonoma (not from offshore or even Colorado). When the coals were very hot and flameless but smokey, I put the chops on the grill. They cooked quickly (to rare). I sprinkled the favas with olive oil, put them in a BBQ colander-like bowl and shook them over the coals until slightly colored and flavored. The chopped mint was a brilliant splash of green and flavor. I will repeat this recipe many times! - dymnyno —The Editors