Lamb Lollipops

Name: Lamb Lollipops
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; roughly chopped; Salt and pepper; 12 lamb cutlets (on a french trimmed bone); at room temperature; For the Hedgehog Potatoes:; 25g butter; 3 tbsp olive oil; 24 waxy baby new potatoes; scrubbed; 2 garlic cloves; left whole with skin on; Small handful of fresh thyme sprigs; For the Pea Dip:; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; finely chopped; 1 garlic clove; finely chopped; 400g fresh or frozen peas; 200ml chicken stock; 50g natural yogurt; Large handful of fresh mint leaves

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Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
12 lamb cutlets (on a french trimmed bone), at room temperature
For the Hedgehog Potatoes:
25g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
24 waxy baby new potatoes, scrubbed
2 garlic cloves, left whole with skin on
Small handful of fresh thyme sprigs
For the Pea Dip:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
400g fresh or frozen peas
200ml chicken stock
50g natural yogurt
Large handful of fresh mint leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
To make the hedgehog potatoes, place the butter and oil on a large baking tray and pop it in the oven to melt and warm through while you prepare the potatoes. Sit one potato in the ‘cup’ of a wooden spoon and using a sharp knife, carefully cut slits across it at 3mm intervals. The spoon edges stop you from cutting right through the potato, which is what you want. Repeat until all the potatoes are done.
Remove the tray from the oven and carefully place the potatoes and garlic in the hot fat. Toss them around until evenly coated before arranging the potatoes cut side up. Brush the hot fat over the tops so it goes down between the slits. Sprinkle a little salt on each one and scatter the thyme over. Pop in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the oil and thyme leaves for the lamb together in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the lamb cutlets, massaging the oil all over, and set aside until needed.
Once the potatoes have been roasting for 20 minutes, nestle the cutlets on the tray in a single layer. Brush the potatoes with the hot fat once again and then return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, turning the lamb cutlets over halfway through.
Meanwhile, to make the pea dip, first, heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and just catching colour. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute before adding the stock. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the peas are tender. Tip the mixture into a blender and add the yogurt and half of the mint leaves. Blitz until as smooth as possible. Season to taste and keep warm. This can be made up to a day in advance and reheated gently before serving.
Once cooked, the potatoes should be crisp and golden on the outside and the meat evenly browned all over. Arrange on serving plates, scatter the remaining mint leaves over and serve each one with a small bowl of the pea purée for dipping the lamb ‘lollipops’ in.