06/11/2022
Grilled Lamb Chops with Garlic and Caper Sauce and a Spring Salad
Ingredients
8 lean lamb chops
300ml whole milk
2 bulbs of fresh new season garlic, peeled
2-3 teaspoons capers, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
1 tablespoon white w**e vinegar
1 teaspoon English mustard
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and blanched
900g small new potatoes, cooked and quartered
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 sprigs freshly chopped or torn mint
Method
First of all, in a smallish saucepan put the milk and the garlic on a high heat. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a lively simmer. Cook for 25 minutes. Drain the garlic, reserving the liquid and blitz in a food processor smooth, adding enough milk to form a loose spooning sauce.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the capers. Season well and set aside. If you want to you can add a spoonful of cream and a k**b of butter. Some lightly caramelised softened onions added before blitzing is good too.
To make the dressing combine 2 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, mustard and seasoning. It will be quite sharp, but persevere, it will mingle with the butter on the potatoes and asparagus softening it a little.
Preheat the grill and bring a medium-sized saucepan filled with cold water to the boil. Place the chops on a chopping board and brush on both sides with the remaining oil. Season.
Grill for no more than 5 minutes on each side. For a really tender lamb chop, you want them pink in the middle. The more give there is when you touch them with your finger the less cooked they are. A hot grill is absolutely vital though to get a nicely grilled outside without over cooking them. A hot griddle pan is good too. When the chops are done to your liking remove from the grill, transfer to a warm plate and cover with foil to rest.
Recipe courtesy of Oliver Rowe
