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Barbequed Southdown Lamb Chops, Wilted Lettuce & Garden Tomatoes

 

Barbequed Southdown Lamb Chops with a Warm Salad of Wilted Lettuce & Garden Tomatoes

Living above my last restaurant had its advantages, not least a pretty quick commute to work each day but I always missed having my own outside space. I finally moved home earlier this year and one of the first things I did was to plant every available space in my new garden with herbs, pea shoots, various root vegetables, salads, alliums & tomatoes, hoping that this ‘clusterbomb’ approach might offset my relative inexperience at home gardening. By some miracle of nature, everything has grown & started to come to fruition- I’m writing this recipe, the first I’ve written in a long while, sitting in my Garden in the July sunshine on a rare day off. The ingredients are essentially all either from my garden or various larder ingredients that I’ve had in my cupboard since Entropy closed its doors last summer, so kind of thrifty you might say… Also, the lamb chops are from our small flock of Southdown lambs on our family farm in Yorkshire. Southdowns are a native rare breed from which the more famous New Zealand ‘Canterbury’ lamb is descended. They are on the watch list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust but they are becoming increasingly popular as a breed amongst small scale producers as they are relatively easy manage, taste amazing and they look kind of cute too J

So a simple, seasonal summer recipe to try at home, I hope you like it!

 

Serves 4

 Ingredients

8 Lamb loin chops

A dozen or so cherry tomatoes, halved

Small jar of marinated artichokes, drained

4 baby gem lettuce

 

For the Marinade

200ml olive oil

4 Cloves of garlic

1 Bunch thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

1 tbsp black peppercorns

 

Anchovy & Lentil dressing

1 small tin anchovy fillets

1 Tbsp capers

100g lentils, soaked & then cooked

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp chopped onion shoots (or chives)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 red onion, finely chopped

175ml olive oil

75ml white wine vinegar

 

Method

First make the marinade by stripping the herbs from their stalks and then blending all the ingredients in a food processor until you get a smooth, verdant oil. Smother liberally over your lamb chops and leave refrigerated until you are ready to BBQ

To make the dressing whisk together the mustard and vinegar & slowly whisk in the oil to create an emulsified vinaigrette. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to get a fresh salsa like dressing.

Barbeque the lamb chops over hot coals- you could chuck on the rosemary stalks, or perhaps some applewood chips if you like. Cook to your liking and then season & ‘rest’ off the barbeque for 5 minutes before serving.

Use a smoking hot griddle pan to quickly char & blister the tomatoes & artichokes.

To preserve the colour, don’t wilt the gem lettuce until you are ready to serve. To do this, simply pick off the leaves into a large pan of simmering boiling water and cook for a minute or so until just softened. Drain & season.

To assemble, arrange the wilted lettuce, tomatoes & artichokes onto a serving board or dish, place the barbecued lamb on top & dress with loads of the briny tangy dressing.

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Crosscliff Dexters

Our family farm in Dalby forest is a fantastically remote corner of 'God's own County', As well as being an idyllic hang out for our children & close family, it also serves as home for a growing herd of Dexter cattle and a small flock of Southdown Lamb. 

 Our herd of Dexters used to exclusively supply my former restaurant 'Entropy' in Leicester. We are now looking to supply this superb beef direct to the consumer from the farm gate, but what is it that makes this beef so good?

The Dexter breed of cattle originated in the South Western region of Ireland. Like the Kerry, they are descended from the predominately black cattle of the early Celts. Dexters as a breed have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the past decade thanks to the work of conservation groups such as the Rare Breed Survival Trust and the advocacy of chefs across the country who have recognised the breed's superb flavour.  

All meat producers know that in general the younger the animal when butchered, the less flavour there is in the meat.  Cattle which are housed and fed  concentrate to speed up the fattening process  produce an admittedly tender, but decidedly bland product. Animals fed on grass alone take a lot longer to produce the correct degree of marbling and 'finish' but the flavour imparted by the combination of grass and maturity is incomparable. 

Our small farm on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park is ideal for this sort of beef system. It is marginal land, with a mix of hardy native grasses and herbs  rather than the chemically 'improved' pastures  found on most lowland farms.  Our chosen breed of Dexter cattle originate from this sort of pasture in Ireland and are  known to seek out specific plants to meet particular dietary needs, our Crosscliff Dexters definitely develop a craving for nettles just before calving, which supposedly stimulates lactation

Most of our animals are finished at between 24 and 27 months old. They are slaughtered  at a small local slaughterhouse just down the road and are then hung for 21-28 days before being jointed & packaged as range of choice cuts, joints & steaks which are vacuum packed. Ready for cooking or the freezer.

The small scale of our farm & its secluded position help ensure an exceptional standard of welfare for the cows. Buying our Dexter beef directly from us means we can supply this wonderful product to you at a competitive price. See our price list for more information.