Innovation and creativity are at the heart of our food teams across the business. Our chefs take inspiration from all over the world and cleverly turn that nugget of inspiration into something new and delicious. They often put a spin on an old classic, and this time, it’s lamb and potatoes, perfect for Easter!
We spoke to Simon Whitby, Development Chef at EPC, and here’s what he cooked up.
“Lamb is such a favourite at this time of year. With so many cuts to choose from, it’s a really versatile meat that delivers loads of flavour, whether you’re roasting, slow cooking or grilling it.
“When buying lamb, always try to purchase free-range or organic where possible. In this recipe I’ve gone for lamb loin chops from our local butchers, they’re robust in flavour and can stand up to the strong earthy herbs and spices I’ve used, which is what this recipe is all about!
“You can do these on the grill or barbecue, or as outlined in the recipe simply roast on the highest oven temperature possible, whichever way you do it the aroma and flavour will be incredible!”
How to make Oven Baked Middle Eastern Spiced Lamb Chops & Herby New Potatoes
Serves 2
Lamb Chop Marinade
- Lamb Loin Chops approx. 800g
- 7 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp Ground Rose Petals
- 1 Tbsp Very Lazy Garlic Paste
- 2 Generous Pinches of sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
Herby Dressing
- 1 sprig of mint, leaves removed, roughly chopped
- Half a handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Very Lazy Chopped Red Chillies
- Juice of half a lime
- Handful of cherry tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Herby New Potatoes
- 500g new potatoes cut into 2-3cm pieces (skin on)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Red pepper cut into 2cm diced
- 1 tsp Pul Biber (Turkish red pepper flakes) or ½ tsp regular chili flakes
- ½ tbsp Very Lazy Garlic Paste
- Half handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
Method
- In a bowl, bring all the marinade ingredients together, then thoroughly rub into the lamb chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably leave overnight to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
- Preheat the oven to its highest temperature it can go to (around 240C) or get the BBQ nice and hot.
- Par-boil the new potatoes in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, drain and leave to steam dry. Add the potatoes to a baking tray lined with foil and toss in the olive oil, spread them so they aren’t on top of one another. Once the oven is hot, put the potatoes in for 8-10 minutes. After 10 minutes add the garlic paste, red pepper and pul biber. Mix well and then roast for a further 15 minutes (along with the lamb, step below) until the potatoes are nicely coloured and tender. Stir halfway through cooking.
- Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking parchment and lay the lamb (preferably fat side up so that it crisps nice and evenly) on the baking tray. Add the lamb to the oven for 15 minutes to achieve a medium rare chop however check after 10 minutes as all ovens vary. Cook a few minutes longer for well done.
- While the lamb and potatoes are cooking, combine the ingredients for the herby dressing and season to taste.
- Toss the parsley through the potatoes and dress the cooked lamb chops with the herby drizzle and serve immediately alongside the potatoes.
- Top with some sliced baby shallot rings and add some lovely fresh baby courgettes, lightly grilled to maintain a bite and colour as an additional side!
We hope you enjoy this tasty dish, now and throughout the year. We’d love to see your recreations of Simon’s recipe, so make sure you’re following us over on Instagram and tag us in the comments!
