Chops with zing

Serves: 4

“The seasoning on these lamb chops envelopes them in a jacket of flavour, while the scallion and mint salsa is the bright green scarf that makes it all dressed up for a fancy dinner party,” says food writer Nik Sharma.

“Halve the amount of garlic for a milder flavour. Toum (Lebanese garlic sauce) is a great alternative or accompaniment to the salsa.”

You’ll need For the lamb:

8 lamb rib chops (total weight 910g) 60ml fresh lemon juice 4tbsp extravirgin olive oil 1tsp amchur 1tsp ground black pepper 1tsp red chilli powder 1tsp fennel seeds, coarsely cracked 2tsp or more kala namak

For the salsa (makes 360ml):

● 120ml extra-virgin olive oil

60ml fresh lemon juice

1 bunch fresh mint (55g), chopped 4 spring onions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1tsp ground black pepper

1 fresh green chilli, minced

Fine sea salt

Method

1. To prepare the lamb, pat the chops dry with clean paper towels and place them in a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, two tablespoons of the olive oil, amchur, black pepper, chilli powder, fennel, and kala namak and pour over the lamb chops in the bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat the chops well. Leave the chops to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, preferably six hours.

2. An hour before you’re ready to cook, prepare the salsa. In a lidded bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, mint, spring onions, garlic, black pepper, and chilli. Taste and season with salt. Cover and let stand until ready to serve.

3. When you’re ready to cook the chops, leave them in the plastic bag out on the kitchen counter for at least 15 minutes to warm to room temperature.

4. Cook the marinated chops in batches. Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, lift four chops out of the bag with a pair of kitchen tongs and place them on the hot pan for three to four minutes per side for rare and five to six minutes per side for medium-rare (on an instant-read thermometer, 62.8°C for rare and 71°C for medium-rare). Repeat with the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining chops. Transfer the chops to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for five minutes before serving.

5. Before serving, garnish the lamb with the scallion mint salsa. Serve warm.

Recipe from The Flavor Equation: The Science Of Great Cooking Explained + More Than 100 Essential Recipes by Nik Sharma, Chronicle Books, £26, available now