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Crisp lamb chops with fennel, pomegranate and aubergine

Crisp lamb chops with fennel, pomegranate and aubergine

This vibrant lamb chop recipe brings together smoky aubergine purée, sweet roasted fennel and sharp pomegranate dressing. The spiced lamb stays juicy and pink, while cool yoghurt, fresh herbs and toasted pistachios add contrast to every forkful. It feels special, but the components can overlap neatly in the kitchen.

Prep: 1–2 hours
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves: Serves 2
Dietary: Egg-free
Jalapeño, chorizo and cheese muffinsBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

Nutri-Score C rating

This crisp lamb chops recipe is rated Nutri-Score C as a broad guide. It includes plenty of aubergine, fennel, pomegranate and herbs, along with protein from lamb and yoghurt. The rating is held back by the lamb fat, olive oil, tahini, pistachios, added honey and pomegranate molasses. The calculation is based on the recipe ingredients rather than a laboratory-tested nutrition panel.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the crisp lamb chops

  • 4 lamb chops
  • 2 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp for frying olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1½ tsp ras el hanout
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • Zest of ½ lemon, finely grated

For the aubergine purée

  • 2 large aubergines
  • 1½ tbsp tahini
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • Drizzle honey, to sweeten
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the fennel

  • 1 large bulb fennel, cut into wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds, crushed
  • 1 strip orange peel
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 150ml/5fl oz white wine
  • 50ml/2fl oz dry vermouth
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pomegranate dressing

  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

  • 100ml/3½fl oz Greek-style yoghurt
  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 25g/1oz unsalted peeled pistachios, toasted
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Customise

  • Swap Greek-style yoghurt for thick natural yoghurt or a plant-based yoghurt.
  • Use vegetable stock instead of white wine and vermouth for an alcohol-free version.
  • Replace pistachios with toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds.
  • Use lime instead of lemon for a slightly sharper dressing.

Method

  1. Marinate the lamb — 1–2 hours ahead. Put the lamb chops in a shallow dish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, ras el hanout, ground cumin, ground coriander and lemon zest. Turn the chops until coated, cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Take them out about 20 minutes before cooking so they lose their fridge chill.
  2. Char the aubergines — about 30 minutes. Blacken the aubergines all over on a gas hob, turning them carefully with tongs. If you prefer to use the oven, heat it to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7 and roast the aubergines for about 30 minutes, until the skins are dark and the flesh feels soft.
  3. Blend the purée. Leave the aubergines until cool enough to handle, then peel away most of the blackened skin. Put the flesh into a blender with the tahini, lemon juice, chopped garlic and a drizzle of honey. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. You can make this ahead and warm it gently before serving.
  4. Start the fennel — 5 minutes. Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Season the fennel wedges with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof pan and fry the fennel over a high heat until the cut sides turn a deep golden brown.
  5. Braise and roast the fennel — 20–30 minutes. Add the crushed cumin seeds, orange peel, crushed coriander seeds, white wine and vermouth. Cover the surface with a circle of baking paper, then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook until the fennel is tender and richly flavoured.
  6. Mix the dressing — 2 minutes. Stir the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and honey together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it: if the pomegranate molasses is especially sharp, add another tiny drizzle of honey.
  7. Cook the lamb — 8–10 minutes. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Place the chops fat-side down first and cook until the fat renders and becomes crisp. Fry the chops on both sides for a few minutes, until deeply browned and still pink in the middle.
  8. Rest the chops — 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and leave it to rest. This gives the juices time to settle, so they stay in the meat rather than running across the serving dish.
  9. Build the platter. Spoon the aubergine purée over the base of a large serving dish and add little spoonfuls of yoghurt. Arrange the roasted fennel and lamb chops on top, then scatter over the pomegranate seeds, mint, coriander and toasted pistachios.
  10. Finish and serve. Drizzle over the pomegranate dressing and the final tablespoon of pomegranate molasses. Serve the crisp lamb chops while warm, with the smoky aubergine purée and fennel alongside.

 

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