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    Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich’s tahini barbecue lamb chops with plums

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    • Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich’s tahini barbecue lamb chops with plums

    Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich’s tahini barbecue lamb chops with plums

    We use tahini in a few different versions of barbecue sauce, as the sesame paste lends itself so well to roasted meats, adding a rich nutty note. Here, we include anchovies for a savoury touch and pomegranate molasses for sweetness. The accompanying plum sauce is like a chutney or Chinese plum sauce, with its sweet, sour and spicy flavours. It partners perfectly with these rich chops and also works amazingly with a simple roast chicken or duck. The barbecue and plum sauces can either be made shortly before grilling the chops, or up to a couple of days in advance. 

    • Preparation time: 20 minutes
    • Cooking time: 12 minutes

    Serves: 3 - 4

    Ingredients

    2 extra trimmed racks of lamb, each with 6-7 chops
    2 plums, halved and stones removed
    95g pack lamb’s lettuce, to serve

    For the tahini barbecue sauce
    80g Cooks’ Ingredients Tahini
    1 small clove garlic
    1 fillet of anchovy in oil (optional)
    ½ tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Peppery Pul Biber
    1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Pomegranate Molasses
    ½ tsp flaky sea salt

    For the spiced plum sauce
    3 plums, cut in eighths and stones removed
    2 tbsp sugar
    1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
    ½ tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Peppery Pul Biber
    1 fresh or dried bay leaf
    1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Pomegranate Molasses
    ½ tsp flaky sea salt
    2 tbsp of red wine vinegar 

    Method

    1. Use a small food processor to blitz the barbecue sauce ingredients along with 80ml water to a smooth, thick paste. You may need to add a little more water to reach the desired custard-like consistency. You can use the barbecue sauce straightaway or keep it covered in the fridge for a day or two until needed.

    2. Put the plum wedges, sugar, garlic, pul biber, bay leaf and pomegranate molasses in a small frying pan, place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes until the plums soften and start falling apart, then remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vinegar. You can use this straightaway, or cool and store in the fridge, covered, for a few days.

    3. Divide each rack of lamb into 3 pairs of 2 chops to give a total 6 double chops. Set aside some of the tahini barbecue sauce to serve. When you are ready to cook the lamb, brush some of the remaining barbecue sauce over the double chops, coating both sides. Place the chops one by one on the rack above a hot barbecue. Grill for 2 minutes, then turn them over and brush with more sauce. Grill for another 2 minutes before turning them back over and basting again. Repeat the grill-turn-baste process until the chops have cooked for a total of 6 minutes on each side. Remove to a serving platter with lamb’s lettuce over it.

    4. Pop the plum halves on the barbecue, cut-side down. Grill for a minute or so just to warm a little, then add to the platter with the chops. Serve with the plum sauce and reserved tahini barbecue sauce. 

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    Cooks’ tip
    To cook without a barbecue: use a lightly oiled, preheated griddle pan on your stove and cook just as you would on the fire.

    Recipe adapted by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich from their book Chasing Smoke: Cooking over Fire Around the Levant (Honey & Co), published by Pavilion; 1st edition.
     

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