“Toum is a Lebanese condiment similar to aioli but uses garlic to stabilise the sauce rather than egg yolk,” explains Prue Leith, “Which means it’s very garlicky. Yum.”
Grilled lamb chops with toum and herb salad
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
8-12 lamb chops
1tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
For the toum:
1 garlic bulb, cloves separated, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2tsp salt
200ml vegetable oil
1tbsp lemon juice
For the herb salad:
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
A handful of mint leaves, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 large cucumber, diced
1tbsp olive oil
Method:
1. Prepare the toum by blending the garlic and salt to a paste in a blender or food processor. Scrape down the inside and blend again. Slowly drizzle in the oil while the motor is running until the mixture becomes thick and emulsified. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat the grill (broiler) to medium-high and line the grill tray with foil.
3. Arrange the chops on the lined tray and brush them with the olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Grill (broil) the chops for three to four minutes, turn them over, oil and season the second side, and grill for a further three to four minutes, until cooked through to medium. Remove the chops from the grill, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for five minutes, while you make the salad.
5. Mix together the parsley, mint, red onion, tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle olive oil over the top and toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Arrange the chops on warm plates. Spoon some toum over them and serve with the herb salad.
Life’s Too Short To Stuff A Mushroom by Prue Leith is published in hardback by Carnival, priced £25. Photography Ant Duncan. Available now
