Anchovy-Marinated Lamb Chops with Roasted Vegetables

Cook Time 1 hour

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the vegetables

4 leeks, trimmed and cut into chunky rounds

3 zucchini, cut into chunky rounds

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

For the lamb and marinade

40g anchovy fillets in oil, plus their oil

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ lemon

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp honey

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

8 lamb loin chops

To Serve

1.5 cups frozen peas, thawed with boiling water

A large handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.

Start with the vegetables. Tip the leeks, zucchini and drained chickpeas onto a large lined baking tray. Pour over plenty of extra virgin olive oil and season generously with salt. Turn everything to coat, then spread it into a single layer so the pieces have room to roast rather than steam. Roast for about 35–40 minutes, until the vegetables are deeply golden and soft, with the leek edges beginning to crisp and catch.

Meanwhile, blend the marinade. Put the anchovies, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey and black pepper into a small blender or food processor and blitz to a smooth, creamy paste. Taste and adjust — it should be salty, bold and only lightly sweet

Rub the marinade all over the lamb chops until well coated. Do this right before cooking, or a few hours ahead.

Once the vegetables are done, slide their tray to the bottom of the oven and turn the oven to its top grill setting.

Set the marinated chops on an oven rack sitting over a tray to catch the drips. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Put them straight under the grill and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway. Cook carefully, as grills differ a lot. Cook until it is sticky, with charred edges and golden, caramelised fat.

When the lamb is ready, remove both the vegetables and the chops from the oven.

Stir the thawed peas and chopped mint through the roasted vegetables, along with a good squeeze of lemon. Taste and tweak the seasoning as needed.

To serve, spread half of the soft, jammy vegetables across a large platter. Rest the charred chops on top, then spoon the remaining vegetables over them like a chunky relish.

Finish with a last drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a scattering of mint, a final squeeze of lemon and a light pinch of salt.