Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
BARBECUED LAMB RIBS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Chapoutier is most famous for making pricey wines in the northern Rhône but this spicy, earthy creation is from the less fashionable Roussillon region. Drink it with the Lamb Ribs.
Serves 4 l 2 x racks of lamb ribs (around 1.5kg/3lb 5oz)
For the spice rub l 1tsp cumin seeds
l ½tsp fennel seeds
l 1tsp onion seeds
l 20g (¾oz) table salt
l 25g (1oz) soft dark brown sugar
l 5g (¹/8oz) chilli powder
l 1tbsp finely chopped rosemary
For the chimichurri sauce l ½ a bunch of coriander
l ½ a bunch of flat-leaf parsley
l 8 mint leaves
l 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
l 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
l 70ml (2½fl oz) olive oil
l Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
l Sea salt
To make the spice rub, heat a dry frying pan over a heat, add the cumin, fennel and onion seeds and toast for 4-6 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and crush to a powder. Mix the powder with the other spice rub ingredients and coat the racks of ribs with the rub. Wrap them in clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
If you have a barbecue with a lid, heat it to low, unwrap the ribs and place them on the rack for 4 hours with the lid closed, keeping the temperature around 110°C. If you are using an oven, preheat it to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2 and place the ribs directly on the oven racks, with a tray at the bottom of the oven to catch drips. Cook for 2½ hours. To make the sauce, put all ingredients into a blender or food processor (including the herb stems) and pulse to a Taste for seasoning and serve with the hot ribs.
I’m a big fan of South American chimichurri sauce. It’s best when made fresh and goes brilliantly with