Lamb chops with griddled breads and fennel salad
By:
Kitchen Trinity/The Taverne Agency
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Published: 15 Apr 21
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Updated: 18 Mar 24
Make these herb-marinated lamb chops with griddled breads and a crisp fennel salad for a finger-licking meal.
Or, for a wintry take on this recipe, try these lamb chops with celeriac and anchovy salad.
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Serves 4
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Hands-on time 40 min, plus marinating and rising
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 75ml olive oil, plus a splash for frying
- 12 organic lamb chops (50-70g each)
- Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs to serve (optional)
For the griddled breads
- 400g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 20g fresh yeast or 7g fast-action dried yeast
- 250ml buttermilk, warmed until lukewarm (see Know-how)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 4 tbsp olive oil
For the fennel salad
- 2 fennel bulbs, halved and finely sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and 2 tbsp lemon juice
Method
- To make the marinade, mix the garlic, sage and thyme with the oil. Put the chops in a baking dish and pour over half the marinade, turning the chops to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (see Make Ahead).
- For the griddled breads, mix the flour, turmeric and salt in a large bowl. Put the yeast, buttermilk and sugar in a jug and mix to dissolve the sugar, then pour over the flour. Bring together to form a smooth dough, then tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. Return the dough to the bowl, then cover and leave to double in size (about 1 hour).
- Toss all the salad ingredients together. Chill until ready to serve.
- Take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Knead the dough thoroughly once again and divide into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface until about 0.5cm thick. Mix the rosemary and mint with the olive oil. Heat a griddle pan. Brush each bread on both sides with the herb oil, then cook over a medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Turn the breads several times during cooking, brushing with the oil, then season with salt. Leave the breads to cool slightly, then slice into thick fingers.
- Heat a splash of oil in a large pan (or 2 medium pans). Remove the chops from the marinade and pat dry. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned outside but still pink inside, basting with the reserved marinade. To serve, arrange the salad, griddled breads and chops on plates. Pour over any cooking juices and scatter with extra herbs, if you like.
Recipe from April 2021 Issue
Nutrition
Nutrition: per serving
- Calories
- 851kcals
- Fat
- 56.6g (11.9g saturated)
- Protein
- 38g
- Carbohydrates
- 44.8g (5g sugars)
- Fibre
- 5.3g
- Salt
- 1.6g
delicious. tips
Marinate the chops up to a day ahead. The bread is best served warm, immediately after cooking, but you can make it ahead and warm it in the oven or toaster.
To make your own buttermilk, add 1 tbsp lemon juice to 250ml lukewarm whole milk, then leave for 5-10 minutes until it thickens.