Garlic Lamb Chops with Cucumber and Labneh
By Tom Mitchell-Dawson
Marinating meat is a great way to impart lots of flavor into dishes, however this can’t be rushed and often needs some preplanning. Flavored butters are a great alternative to add bags of flavor in a fraction of the time. Simply basting the lamb in this garlic and rosemary infused butter takes it up a level and gives a nice Middle Eastern inspired kick. This recipe is great because of its pure simplicity, and it is a fantastic way to impress your dinner guests.
Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes + chilling time
Ingredients:
4 lamb cutlets
4 cloves garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
100g unsalted butter, softened 1 cucumber
1/2 red onion
A few mint leaves, chopped
20g pine nuts, toasted
1 lemon
1 tsp sumac
200g labneh
Method
- Start by making the garlic butter. To a small food processor add the garlic, rosemary and Aleppo pepper and blend until a paste forms. Add the butter and pulse until everything comes together. Season with salt and pepper before transferring to some rolled out cling film. Roll a log of butter in the cling film then tie each end and place in the fridge to set.
- Next, prepare the salad. Using a peeler, peel the cucumber until you reach the seeds. Repeat on each side then add to a bowl. Thinly slice the red onion and add that to the bowl along with the toasted pine nuts and mint. Grate in the zest of one lemon and half the juice. Season with salt pepper and sumac then finish with a touch of olive oil.
- To cook the lamb, simply season with salt and pepper and add to a medium pan fat side down with a little oil. Allow the fat to render for a few minutes before turning up the heat and cooking on each side for 2 minutes.
- Next turn the heat down and drain the fat from the pan. Add the butter you made earlier and baste the lamb before removing from the pan and allow to rest. The butter that is left in the pan can be saved and used when serving.
- To plate, share the labneh before the two plates then top with the salad. Place the lamb to the side then spoon over some of the reserved butter. Enjoy.
Tip: Lamb chops are good enough on their own but basting them with this fragrant and lightly spiced butter adds a whole other dimension. A few cloves of garlic picked from the Cole and Mason garlic storage jar are pulsed into the butter with rosemary and Aleppo pepper to add a punch of flavor. This butter can be used on more than just lamb. Try with chicken, grilled veg or simply brushed onto flat breads. I’ve paired the lamb with a middle eastern inspired cucumber salad spiced with tangy sumac and lemon zest.
