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Barbecued cumin lamb chops with anchovy butter and lemon yoghurt
Serves 4 Starters and mains
For the lamb chops
- 1⁄2 onion, finely grated
- 2tbsp full-fat natural yoghurt
- 2tbsp ground cumin
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 2tbsp lemon juice
- 12 whole lamb chops, best end
- 2tbsp cumin seeds
- 1⁄2tsp caraway seeds
- 1⁄2tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 1tbsp caster sugar
- 1tbsp salt
- 1tbsp smoked paprika
For the anchovy butter
- 80g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2tbsp lemon juice
- 10 anchovies in olive oil, finely chopped
- 1tbsp lemon thyme leaves, picked
For the lemon yoghurt
- 100g full-fat natural yoghurt
- grated zest and juice 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 20ml olive oil
- 11⁄2tsp salt, or to taste
To serve
- 2tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
For the lamb chops, mix the onion, yoghurt, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat, ensuring that each chop is well coated. Leave to marinate covered in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
To make the cumin spice rub, place the cumin and caraway seeds in a heavy-based pan. Toast over a medium-to-high heat until smoking and fragrant but not burnt. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl, adding the pepper, sugar, paprika and salt to taste. Stir to combine, then blend the spice mix to a powder using a spice or coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle. Set aside or store in an airtight container – this will keep for up to 10 days.
To make the anchovy butter, melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium-to-low heat, then add the garlic and soften for a few minutes (being careful not to burn it). Whisk the butter gently as it cooks until it darkens to a nut brown, around 4-5 minutes, then add the lemon juice, anchovies and lemon thyme. Continue to cook for a few minutes before turning off the heat. Set aside, reheating when ready to serve.
To make the lemon yoghurt, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and stir well. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
To finish the lamb chops, set a barbecue up for single-zone, direct grilling – ensuring that you are cooking on hot embers. Scrape off the excess marinade, dredge the chops in the rub and place on the grill rack directly above the coals. Cook for around 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely charred around the edges, the fat crisped and golden, but still soft to the touch and pink on the inside.
Remove from the grill and transfer to a bowl. Toss with any remaining rub and the parsley. Pile the chops on a plate and serve piping hot, with lemon yoghurt spooned over, anchovy butter and more parsley.
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