Lamb chops with baba ghanoush

Total Time: 1 Hour

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 - 45 Minutes

Servings: 2 - 4 People

Suitable For: Dinners with the family

Download

Crispy lamb chops with a creamy side of baba ghanoush. For those unfamiliar with the term, baba ghanoush is simply put mashed eggplant or brinjal with spices and oil. A lovely dip or spread on fresh bread. This recipe was created exclusively for us by An Earthen Life on our Coalsmith Series Delta Grill & Smoker.

Ingredients

For the Lamb chops:

4 lamb chops
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
½ teaspoon of paprika
½ teaspoon of black pepper
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoon of Olive oil

For the babaganoush:

3 medium brinjals (eggplants)
Olive oil
1 clove of garlic, very finely diced
¼ cup of tahini
3 tablespoons of plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Parsley

Chopped salad:

½ cucumber
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Light a fire in your smoker.
Grind down the fennel seeds, coriander, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Rub this all over the chops and rest till they reach room temperature. It is always crucial to braai any meat at room temperature to ensure an even cook.
Rub the brinjal in a little oil and prick it with a knife to allow the air inside to escape. If you don’t do this, you might end up bursting the brinjal. Place the brinjal over the flame to blister the skins, then place in a tray and cook until completely soft inside. Remove and allow to cool.
While you wait for the brinjal to cook, chop all the ingredients for the salad and mix in the vinegar and oil so that the flavours of the salad can infuse.
When the fire has burned down to coals, put the lamb chops onto the hot grid and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, turning only once for proper caramalisation on the outside.
Cut open the brinjal and scoop out the inside into a bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste and season.
Spread the baba ghaandnoush on a plate, and pile on the chops and salad too. Finish off with lemon zest and a sprinkle of pistachios.