Lamb chops & cauliflower with garlic & lemon yoghurt

The secret weapon in this yoghurt sauce is the mayonnaise. It adds a tangy hit … and you’d never guess it was there.

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying (optional)

½ head cauliflower, separated into florets

salt and black pepper, to season

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

8 lamb loin chops*

a few freshly torn mint leaves, to serve (optional)

lemon wedges, to serve

Garlic and lemon yoghurt

1 cup Greek-style yoghurt

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, grated

juice and grated rind of ½ lemon

¼ tsp salt

Method

\1. For the garlic and lemon yoghurt, combine all the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.

\2. If deep-frying the cauliflower, heat the vegetable oil to 175C in a small saucepan and cook the cauliflower in batches until golden, about 3 minutes for each batch. Set aside to drain on a wire rack and season with a little salt and pepper. If you prefer not to deep-fry, toss the cauliflower florets in olive oil and roast them on a baking sheet at 220C (200C fan-forced) for 30 minutes.

\3. Heat a frying pan over high heat and add the olive oil. Season the lamb chops well with salt and pepper, then fry in batches for about 3 minutes each side, plus one minute standing on the fat cap, for medium. Drizzle with a little olive oil and rest for at least 2 minutes.

\4. To serve, pour the yoghurt onto a serving plate and top with the lamb and cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter with mint leaves (if using) and serve with lemon wedges and my Green Greek salad (optional).

Adam’s tip: Lamb chops are best cooked on direct heat – on a barbecue or in a pan. An oven is fine if you want them (very) well done, but a pan will give you a tastier crust while keeping the centre medium-rare.