VelvetSpiced Lamb Chops with Pickled Red Onions
Inspired by techniques from Bon Appétit.
Lamb rib chops coated in a yoghurt and ginger marinade with freshly toasted cloves, fennel, cumin and dried chilli, then cooked fast under a hot grill. Served with sharp lime-pickled red onions and fresh mint.
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Method
- 1
Pickle the onions. Start the day before. Toss the onions with the salt and oregano in the glass bowl, pour in the lime juice and vinegar and press the onions down so they are covered. Cut a 1 cm slit in the narrow tip of the habanero and push it in among the onions. Set the small plate on top to keep them under, cover and refrigerate overnight; they turn bright pink and lose their raw bite.
- 2
Toast and grind the spices. Put the cloves, dried chillies, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns in the small dry frying pan over medium heat. Stir for about 3 min, until they smell fragrant and turn a shade darker, then tip them into the small bowl so they stop cooking. When cool, grind to a coarse powder in the spice grinder or with the mortar and pestle.
- 3
Marinate the lamb. Stir the ground spices, yoghurt and ginger together in the baking dish. Add the chops and turn them so both sides are coated, then leave to marinate for 30 min.
- 4
Grill the chops. Heat the grill to high with a shelf about 10 cm below the element and line the baking tray with foil. Lay the chops on the tray and sprinkle both sides with the salt; salting only now keeps the surface dry enough to brown. Grill about 3 min per side, turning once with tongs, until well browned and 52 °C in the centre of the thickest chop for medium-rare (63 °C for medium, the USDA safe minimum).
- 5
Rest and serve. Rest the chops for 3 min. Drain the onions in the sieve and remove the habanero. Put 2 chops on each plate, spoon the pickled onions alongside and finish with the mint sprigs.
Storage
Eat the chops straight away. Refrigerate leftover lamb covered up to 3 days and reheat until piping hot (74 °C), or slice it cold into salads. Keep the pickled onions in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Source of protein: 4.4 g protein per 100 kcal, about 18% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
Per serving, from the nutrition table. Condition from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- fine grater
- glass bowl
- small plate
- small frying pan
- small bowl
- spice grinder or mortar and pestle
- 28 x 18 cm glass baking dish
- rimmed baking tray
- foil
- oven grill (broiler)
- tongs
- sieve
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 19.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.7 g |
| of which sugars | 3.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 37.6 g |
| of which saturates | 16.4 g |
| Fibre | 1.7 g |
| Salt | 1.29 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
