Holidays don’t just mean salad and ice-cream …
I went on a little road trip recently (more on this in THE GLOSS July issue) and picked up some lamb chops from a butcher. My first stop off was a picturesque hideaway rental covered in wisteria, with the most abundant vegetable garden I’ve ever seen. I picked some asparagus and headed back to my idyllic countryside kitchen to gently cook some cherry tomatoes with garlic, chilli and herbs, then quickly fried the lamb chops until golden on the outside and still blush in the middle. If you’ve got some harissa or Calabrian chilli paste to hand, a spoonful stirred into the tomatoes is an excellent addition. @kittycoles
LAMB CHOPS DRESSED IN TOMATO AND OREGANO
Ingredients
Serves 2
• 6–8 good quality lamb chops (or however many you want)
• 200g ripe cherry tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 red chilli
• Olive oil
• A few generous sprigs of fresh oregano or thyme
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper
Method
1. Take the lamb chops out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel and crush the garlic, then finely chop the red chilli (use as much or as little as you like).
3. In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano or thyme. Gently cook for 8–10 minutes, until the tomatoes have collapsed and turned a little jammy – turn the heat down if needed. Season generously with salt, pepper and a little more olive oil.
4. Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan until very hot, like you would for a steak. Season the lamb chops and rub with a little olive oil.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and sear the lamb chops, fat-side down first, holding them in place with tongs to help render and crisp the fat. Flip and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Work in batches if needed.
6. Transfer the lamb chops to a wide bowl or serving dish. Pour the tomato mixture on top, gently toss to coat everything in the juices and let rest for 5 minutes.
7. Pour the lemon juice over the whole dish and serve.