Now that my family are on the move and socialising again, it’s not unusual for me to be cooking for
just myself and my husband. This is a chance to indulge in better cuts of meat, so I picked up some goat chops from the butcher which are very tasty, and respond well to a flavour bath of eastern spices, olive oil and lemon. This marinade works well with the stronger flavour of
more mature lamb. Ground cumin seeds with the aroma and enticing flavour of wine -coloured ground sumac. Its appealing lemon-lime tartness and crops up in Muslim cooking and transforms the flavour of the meat.
Ingredients: Serves 2
6- 8 goat or mutton small rib or loin chops
Marinade
1-2 teaspoons cumin seeds crushed
2 teaspoons sumac
½ teaspoon sea salt
teaspoon black pepper corns
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
zest and juice of a large unwaxed lemon
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
50 ml dry white wine
Method:
Trim excess fat from the chops, (though I prefer to leave it on) and place in a shallow bowl.
Put the cumin seeds, sumac, sea salt, black pepper and garlic into a pestle and mortar and grind
everything to crush open the seeds and release their flavour.
Add the olive oil, lemon juice and zest and mix everything together.
Put the chops into a plastic bag and add the marinade.
Seal the bag and, taking care not to rip the bag, massage the marinade into the flesh of the chops.
Leave to marinade refrigerated for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Remove the chops half an hour before cooking.
Pre-heat the oven Gas 8 /240 C
Transfer the shops to a roasting tin, with the marinade, leaving behind any excess liquid.
Roast in the oven for 15 minutes until staring to crisp.
Add the white wine and finish cooking, a further 5-10 minutes depending on how well cooked you
want the chops.
Sauteèd Greens
200g bunch cavolo nero or curly kale
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 dried chillies
Lemon juice
Sea salt
Method:
Strip the green leaves from the stalks of the greens.
Chop the stalks and add to boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes, adding the shredded leaves
for 2-3 minutes at the end.
Drain and re-fresh in cold water.
Squeeze excess water.
Warm the oil in a wide frying pan.
Add the garlic and chilli and infuse to release the flavours.
Add the greens and turn in the oil,
Sauté for 10-15 minutes.
Check seasoning and serve with a final squeeze of lemon juice.
Mary Contini OBE is a writer and Director of Valvona & Crolla ltd. We are happy to welcome you in our CaffèBar and shop again, open all day. Book and order online: www.valvonacrolla.com
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