ALLSPICE LAMB CHOPS WITH PICKLED WALNUT KETCHUP

This ketchup couldn’t be simpler: whiz up a jar of drained pickled walnuts and you have a tart, piquant condiment in seconds. As one of the richer, fattier meats out there, lamb benefits from something with this flavour profile served alongside.

SERVES 4-6 AS A SNACK OR STARTER

H 2 tsp allspice berries, toasted and ground to a fine powder

H 1 tsp ground cinnamon

H 1 tsp fine sea salt

H 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

H 2 tbsp olive oil

H 12 lamb chops (from a rack of lamb – you can ask your butcher to cut these)

FOR THE PICKLED WALNUT KETCHUP

1 x 390g jar of pickled walnuts, drained and liquid reserved

H Mix the spices together, then combine them with the olive oil and use to coat the lamb chops thoroughly (this is easiest to achieve by getting your hands in there).

Set the lamb chops aside to marinate (ideally for an hour).

H For the pickled walnut ketchup, blend the drained walnuts until smooth, then stir in 1½ teaspoons of the reserved pickle juice.

H Set a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add half of the chops to the pan, fat-side down, and cook for 4 minutes until the fat starts to melt. Increase the heat to high and leave the chops to cook, still on the fat side, for 1 minute, then flip them over on to their edges. Cook for 1 minute (resist the urge to move them around), then flip over – both sides should have developed some colour. Transfer to a tray or plate, wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining chops.

H Allow the lamb chops to rest for a couple of minutes before serving alongside the pickled walnut ketchup.