Lamb Chops Grilled Over Charcoal with Cucumber, Broad Beans and Mint
Lamb Chops Grilled Over Charcoal with Cucumber, Broad Beans and Mint
This recipe is spring on a plate. British produce is incredible in the springtime, and the ingredients in this dish really make the most of what’s in season. Here both the lamb and cucumber are charcoal-grilled – I use the barbecue at home as much as I do my frying pans. Not many people would think of cooking cucumber, but it’s not a new idea. When we go through old recipe books for inspiration at the restaurant, it always crops up. The flavour of hot cucumber – particularly barbecued – is delicious and the texture is firm but moist.
Serves 4
1 garlic clove, halved
8 spring lamb chops or cutlets
olive oil
For the sauce
1 litre fresh lamb stock
1 tablespoon rendered lamb fat
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of mint
To garnish
1 large cucumber
olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2½ tablespoons Chardonnay vinegar
250g podded broad beans, blanched for 10 seconds and peeled
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
To make the sauce, put the lamb stock into a saucepan and boil to reduce to 100ml. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lamb fat and rosemary sprig. Set aside.
My preferred method of cooking the lamb chops is over charcoal on a barbecue, but you can also roast them in a heavy frying pan over a high heat. If you are going to use a barbecue, prepare the charcoal fire.
Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber for the garnish. Cut off a third of the cucumber and put it through a juicer; you should have about 6 tablespoons juice. Set aside.
Peel the remaining cucumber, then cut across in half. Cut off the four curved ‘sides’ from each piece of cucumber to leave you with a rectangular ‘heart’. Slice the cucumber half-moon ‘sides’ into 5mm pieces and set aside.
Rub the garlic over the meat of the chops, on both sides, then season with salt and pepper and lightly press the seasoning on to the meat so it sticks. Drizzle over a little olive oil. Grill the lamb chops on the barbecue (or in the hot frying pan) for 2–3 minutes on each side (timing is for medium rare). Wrap the chops in foil and set aside to rest while cooking the garnish.
Season the cucumber hearts and drizzle with olive oil, then place on the barbecue (or in the pan) and cook for 2 minutes per side until lightly coloured and soft. Remove and keep warm.
Pour a thin layer of olive oil into a hot frying pan and add the cucumber pieces. Leave to colour, then gently turn to colour the other sides. Reduce the heat, add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and reduce until it is almost all gone.
Add 4 tablespoons of the cucumber juice along with the peeled broad beans. Heat gently to ensure the mixture remains moist. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chopped herbs. Keep warm.
Reheat the sauce, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cucumber juice and the sprig of mint.
To serve, cut the cucumber hearts diagonally in half and place a piece in the centre of each large plate. Spoon the broad bean and cucumber mix around and set two chops on top. Remove the mint and rosemary from the sauce, then spoon the sauce over the chops.
Lamb Chops Grilled Over Charcoal with Cucumber, Broad Beans and Mint