Lamb chops with rocket, figs and walnuts
A simple dish of succulent spiced lamb with a peppery rocket and fig salad.
Ingredients
For the lamb
- ½ tsp table salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground fennel seeds
- 2 untrimmed racks lamb, separated into single chops
For the salad
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú walnuts
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 6 sage leaves
- pinch salt
- pinch sugar
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 bag rocket
- 6 fresh figs, quartered
For the flatbreads
- 400g/14oz plain flour
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
Method
Mix together the salt, pepper, cumin and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Season the chops on both sides with all the salt rub, then stack them one on top of another in two piles to recreate the two lamb racks.
Set a heavy-based frying pan on a medium–low heat. Place one of the stacks of chops as one in the frying pan, fat-side edge down, and cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the skin to crisp and the fat to render. Drain the fat into a bowl, transfer the chops to a plate, then repeat the process with the second stack.
Break the stacks up and place as many chops flat in the pan as you can fit in one layer. (You will need to do this in a few batches.) Increase the heat and allow to colour for 2 minutes, then flip the chops and colour the other side. You can add a little of the fat you drained off earlier, if needed. Repeat until all the chops are seared, then set them aside to rest.
Add the walnuts, shallots and sage leaves to the same pan you used for the lamb, and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring and scraping to get all the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with the pinch of salt and sugar, then add the vinegar.
To make the flatbreads, mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients with enough water to bring to a soft dough.
Knead lightly and then shape into 6 oval flatbreads. Cook on a hot griddle pan for 2 minutes on each side.
Arrange the rocket on a large serving platter and scatter over the figs. Place the chops on top of the salad and spoon over the warm dressing. Serve with the flatbreads.
