We’ve been cooking from a new book, Camper Van Cooking by Claire Thompson and Matt Williamson. Every summer we’re usually off camping in a tent in France but not this year unfortunately. Still, we’ve had some amazing Irish sunshine so we’re making a big effort to cook and eat outside as much as possible. These chops were lovely with some flatbreads warmed on the barbecue alongside a herby couscous, and a tomato and cucumber salad.
Wine Suggestion: A barbecue Cotes du Rhone red comes to the rescue here; medium weight with gentle, warming spices. Jean-Paul Daumen’s version in the glass tonight and we can almost picture us sipping this in France.
Lamb Chops with Cumin and Sumac with Tahini Sauce – serves 4
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1-2 tsp chill flakes/aleppo chilli flakes/urfa chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 12 lamb cutlets
- ½ lemon
FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a little salt
- 3 tbsp tahini
- juice of ½ lemon
Mix the garlic, cumin, chilli flakes and half the sumac with the oil in a bowl. Season the chops with salt and pepper, then rub them all over with the spicy oil and put them in the fridge. You need to leave them for at least half an hour or longer if you can. Bring them back to room temperature before cooking.
To make the sauce, put the garlic and tahini in a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and a splash of cold water, you want a smooth sauce with the consistency of double cream. Season to taste.
Heat a barbecue until very hot and cook the chops for a few minutes on each side or until nicely charred on the outside and however you like them in the middle. Grill the lemon half at the same time. Allow the chops to rest off the heat for a few minutes, then serve drizzled with the tahini and sprinkled with the rest of the sumac and a good squeeze of the barbecued lemon.
(Original crecipe from Camper Van Cooking by Claire Thompson & Matt Williamson,
Jono & Jules do food & wine 