Jono & Jules do food & wine

Another success from “The Lebanese Kitchen”. First you have to make a Lebanese Seven Spices mix which you can use to add flavour to loads of dishes.

Lebanese Seven Spices Mix – makes 175g

• 5 tbsp ground allspice
• 3½ tbsp pepper
• 3½ tbsp ground cinnamon
• 5 tbsp ground cloves
• 4 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 4 tbsp ground fenugreek
• 4 tbsp ground ginger

Mix the spices together and store in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard until needed.

Lamb Chops with Seven Spices – to serve 4

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1½ tbsp seven spices mix
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 lamb chops
• natural yogurt and lemon wedges to serve

Mix the garlic, seven spices mix, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl, add the lamb chops, and rub mixture into the meat. Leave to marinade for about 1½ hours.

Barbecue for 4-6 minutes on each side, then serve with the lemon wedges and yogurt.

Wine Suggestion: We had a really nice Spanish red, Pago de los Capellanes, from Ribero del Duero (thanks Alicia). 100% Tempranillo with a lovely juicy depth and loads of flavour. Alternately you could try a wine from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon which also makes juicy, heady, red wines.

(Original recipe from The Lebanese Kitchen by Salma Hage, Phaidon Press Ltd, 2012.)