Guest recipes with Tonia Buxton

Spice up a midweek meal

Spicy Lamb Chops with Greek Style Mint Sauce

For the chops

10 tsp salt

5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2½ tsp ground coriander

1¼ tsp cayenne pepper

10 garlic cloves, crushed

5 splashes of

Worcestershire sauce

juice of 2 lemons

zest of 5 lemons

16 lamb chops or cutlets

olive oil, for drizzling

rosemary sprigs

For the mint sauce

4 bunches of mint

30g of flat leaf parsley

8 anchovy fillets

4 garlic cloves

chilli flakes, to taste

olive oil, as needed

lemon juice, as needed

a pinch of salt (optional)

 

For the lamb chops, stir the salt, black pepper, ground coriander, cayenne, crushed garlic, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and zest together in a bowl large enough to hold all the chops or cutlets. Season the lamb on both sides with the spice rub, then allow to stand at room temperature while you make the mint sauce.

For the mint sauce, place the mint, parsley, anchovies, garlic and chilli flakes in a food processor and whizz, adding olive oil and lemon juice as you go, until the sauce is loose enough to drizzle. Taste and add salt if needed, though the anchovies should give it enough salt.

Turn the grill to a medium-high heat.

Drizzle some oil over the lamb chops and place rosemary sprigs on the top. For extra flavour, stick half a garlic clove in the fat of each of the chops. Grill the lamb until cooked to your liking, about 2–3 minutes on each side for medium rare.

Serve with jewelled couscous or baked sweet potato and green beans.

 

Courgette, Feta and Chilli Savoury Muffins

Makes 8-10

75ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 medium eggs

1 tsp oregano, chopped

1 tsp basil, chopped

150g feta cheese, crumbled

1–2 red chillies, finely chopped (optional)

1 large courgette, finely grated

1 small tin (140g) sweetcorn, drained (optional)

150g wholemeal spelt flour

1½ tsp baking powder

100ml milk

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease 8–10 muffin cases with olive oil and put in a muffin tin.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, or until softened.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, then add the remaining olive oil, the oregano, basil, feta, chilli (if using) courgette and sweetcorn.

Add the flour and baking powder and enough milk to make a batter mixture.

Place 2 heaped tbsp of the batter into each muffin case and bake in the oven for around 25–30 minutes until they are golden and fi rm to the touch. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Tonia Buxton has written four cookbooks and is a well-known TV celebrity and chef. For more information visit toniabuxton.co.uk